It Never Ends
by lieutenant Alia
Summary: What happens twenty years after the events of the High Lord. Don't want to give to much away!Disclaimer for all chapters: I don't own The Black Magician Trilogy, it and all the characters belong to Trudi Canavan
1. It never ends

**Kidnapped**

**Darkness settled over the city of Imardin like a great silken blanket. It tucked away into corners, hiding the secret dealings of Gutters and Thieves. It disappeared in the soft orange glow of the regular street lamp. It smothered the sound of soft footsteps as they made their way from alley to alley, and from street to street, Closer and closer they got until they reached their ultimate destination…the Magicians Guild. **

**The marching guards, so often seen at street corners idly watching for trouble they knew wouldn't come, didn't see this wraith like assailant pass like a shadow among men. **

**If they had seen him, they would have stopped him, but no, they were not Limek who have keen eyes and even keener senses. **

**Nor were they mind readers for if they had been able to see what was in this man's mind they would have been on him like a dwell on a gold coin, or an Icahni on a slave. **

**In the Magicians Guild, unaware of the disastrous storm to come, slept the new generation of Magicians. **

**Little babies whined, older magicians snored and some even tossed and turned, caught in a nightmare they could not escape. **

**Even in the dark, brooding residence, hidden in the darkness of the forest, the man inside, not as feared as its former residents had been, cried out as he saw his men killed again and again. **

**This man, this creature, edging closer and closer to these innocent people was on a mission. Like so many before he had dared enter Imardin, but this time he was here for a different reason, for an altogether more different master. **

**How many times had he relived that day. How many times was he going to see Lorlen, his friend, his teacher, covered by rock and rubble? How many times did he have to endure the memory of Lorlen's face, bruised and pale before he had eventually died.**

**It was cruel but this was the day. The day the Guild had changed? That was debateable. Some say the Guild had changed when Akkarin and Sonea had been exiled, others when the Ichani invaded. **

**Staring up at the ceiling Osen knew the Guild had changed the day they had refused to believe the truth and had doomed themselves to death. **

_**No, I must not wallow in these memories he thought. **_**But he knew they would never go away. He was saved from another bout of pity by a loud knock on the door. It came again, persistent.**

**Osen hurried to the door of his rooms and opened the door before the servant beyond could knock again. **

"**Administrator." the servant said, bowing, "Lord Regin sent me to get you. You're presence is required in the Day Room immediately."**

**Osen looked at the man in confusion. Why would Regin want him at this time of night?**

"**Did Lord Regin give you a reason for this?"**

"**No. my Lord. He said it was urgent, that you must come quickly." **

**Osen nodded, "Tell him I'll be there in a moment."**

**Shutting the door Osen hurried to his rooms. As he pulled on his robes he wondered what could be so urgent that Regin would ask for him so late at night. A memory came to mind. Of a night, not dissimilar to this. When he had been sent to wake Lorlen after Lord Jolen had been murdered. Surly no one had been killed. **

**Bursting out of his rooms, Osen strode down the corridor and out of the Magicians building. Hurrying over to the Seven Arches, he made his way to the Day Room. Lord Regin, Lady Vinara and Lord Peakin were already there. They were all looking worriedly around. As Osen entered the room all their eyes gratefully looked towards the distraction. **

"**What has happened?" he said breathlessly.**

**Vinara shook her head, her usually stern face expressing distress and fear. **

"**I cannot believe it. Right under our very noses.' **

**She shook her head again, looking at Regin.**

**Osen looked to the Head of Warriors as well. Regin scowled. **

"**Tonight several magicians, including the High Lord have…well…disappeared."**

**Osen's heart froze…disappeared?**

**Regin began pacing.**

"**We wouldn't have noticed so early if I hadn't thought it wise to post a guard in the forest in case we have any intruders. But this guard came to me less than an hour ago and told me heard strange noises in the High Lord's residence. He saw light on the top floor and the shadows of two people who appeared to be struggling. Of course being unable to enter the residence he came to me."**

**He looked at Osen, his eyes haunted, "I called out to Balkan but received no reply. I then went to the residence and forced the door open. Everything was destroyed. Scorch marks on the walls, furniture in pieces, doors flung of their hinges," he sighed, "Balkan was fighting someone in there, someone powerful and…it seems he lost."**

**Osen gasped. Balkan dead.**

**Regin sighed, "It seems that he lost, I had Sonea brought over to search the scene. A powerful opponent and a scene so destructive can only mean one thing…a black magician."**

**Lord Peakin shuddered. "It certainly sounds like it. Perhaps we should go to the residence and see if Sonea has found anything to disprove these theories."**

**Regin nodded. Rising, Osen couldn't help feeling a twinge of fear. If Black Magicians were involved, it would be a disaster. The Guild was still not strong enough to face such an attack again. **

**They made their way across the gardens and around the side of the university until they reached the path to the High Lords residence. Light blazed out of every window and the door stood open, making the building look like a giant face, an angry face waiting to eat them when the opportunity arose. **

**Stepping into the wide hall, refurbished from a guest room after Balkan had become High Lord, Osen followed the others as they moved to the right staircase and began to descend in to the underground room. He felt his chest tighten as the hurried down. The underground room. So much had occurred in this room, so much Black Magic had occurred in this room. **

**Reaching the bottom they entered a small, bare room. In the middle stood a small woman. With her stern face and black robes she cut a striking figure. So **_**different from when she first joined us, Then she was the impressionable slum girl, now… **_

**The woman looked up as the magicians entered the room. Her pale forehead was creased in a frown and her dark eyes looked beyond them. **

**Shaking her head slightly her eyes focussed on them. **

"**Have you found anything yet, Sonea?" Regin asked. **

**Sonea sighed and crossed he arms over her chest, " A little. Balkan isn't dead, or wasn't dead when he left the residence."**

"**How do you know?"**

"**Because he and who ever has taken him, left through this door." she gestured to the door that lead to the secret passages underneath the Guild. **

" **I didn't find any blood on the handle so I'm guessing that the intruder didn't drain Balkan of energy. There is no body in the residence and the residence isn't destroyed so that would rule out dying naturally or exhausting himself."**

"**Maybe the intruder took Balkans body with them," Peakin suggested. **

"**No, what use would he have with a dead body?"**

"**Did you find anything else?" Regin asked, walking cautiously over to the open door and peering into the passages. **

"**Yes , I found this upstairs in Balkan's bedroom."**

**Pulling out a small gold object. Osen edged closer to take a look. It was a gold coin, or something very similar. On it was stamped the profile of a mans face. Turning the coin over they saw a very peculiar sign, a hand and a new moon. **

"**What is it?" Vinara whispered. **

**Sonea shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea. I was going to check in the library after I looked at the other rooms. How many magicians have disappeared?"**

"**Ten."**

**Sonea frowned, "Are there any similarities between them? Same Family? Same House?"**

**Regin shook his head, "Not as far as we can tell, but we will check again in case we missed something." **

"**Yes, do that." sighing she looked up and smiled wearily, "I better go and have a look at the other rooms then."**

**Nodding once to them all, she swept to the door but before she climbed the stairs she took one more look around the room the left.**

**Osen felt his heart squeeze in sympathy. He had seen her expression before she left. The tight bitter mask with the pain filled eyes. This room held more memories for her than anyone else. Most of all it reminded her of **_**him**_**. **


	2. The road to where?

The road to where?

Dannyl's stomach jolted as the cart travelled over yet another rock.

_Were definitely not on the main roads _he thought.

After the disastrous invasion by the Ichani the King and the High Lord had decided to post more patrols on the main roads to watch out for strangers and potential threats.

Since the cart hadn't been stopped once by a suspicious guard Dannyl was right in assuming that they were indeed taking the back roads, but to where?

He sighed and, lying on his back, looked up at the canvas covering the cart.

It was a question he had asked himself over and over again. Yet in three days he hadn't come up with an answer. Even Balkan hadn't fared any better. 

_One thing is for sure…we can't escape. _

Dannyl had been asleep when the assailant had crept into his bedroom. Woken up by the cold sharp edge o a knife against his throat, Dannyl had thrown a stun strike at the man but it had skittered of an invisible shield.

He shuddered as he remembered struggling uselessly, knowing that the man was to strong, both physically and magically. Then came a sharp pain and the helpless feeling of not being able to control his limbs. No matter how much he wanted to move he couldn't. Even worse was the draining of power. So quickly his power had been taken from him, leaving him weak and useless. He had hoped that this attacker had gotten what he wanted and finished with him but it wasn't to be.

Grasping Dannyl's arm the man had dragged him from his rooms.

Dannyl couldn't remember much else than that until they had stopped the first night and were allowed out of the cart.

Then he had seen why the man had known Black Magic and was able to take so many magicians from the Guild.

He was Sachakan.

Sachaka wasn't part of the allied lands and so there was no law against the use of Black Magic.

During the invasion the Guild had only managed to kill _one _Ichani so what chance did eleven magicians have against one?

Slowly the cart stopped jumping. Realising they were slowing down Dannyl sat up as much as he could.

He threw his arm over his eyes as the canvas was taken away and bright light surrounded him.

"Get out now." Commanded a heavily accented voice.

As Dannyl stumbled off the cart his eyes grew accustomed to the glaring light. He found himself on an overgrown track. Trees grew heavily on either side and, to his dismay; no houses were to be seen.

"Where are we?" he muttered.

"One of many questions I would love answered Ambassador." Dannyl turned as Balkan came to stand beside him.

The High Lord sighed and ran his hands through his graying hair. Dannyl noted the dark shadows under his eyes and hi haggard face. Their situation was wearing on them all.

"Look around you Dannyl, why is this man doing this? Why these magicians?"

Dannyl looked at the magicians around him. Nine faces stared back at him, tight with worry. Well almost night. As he met Lord Makin's gaze the young magician smiled back wryly and made his way over the Balkan and Dannyl.

"Lady Ella fears we shall die," he murmured, "and Lord Garrel claims it is a disgrace that we have done nothing to free ourselves."

Dannyl smiled; of course Garrel would have to speak out, "A very opinionated man."

Makin snorted, "Of course, perhaps I should tell him of the story about Lord Mikken and the ghosts. Show him that you can't fight what you don't understand."

Dannyl laughed at Makin's use of a story. He was like his father in so many ways. Lord Makin had died at the Fort during the Ichani invasion. He had been one of the Guild's finest warriors. Makin was born shortly after hi father's death and had become everything his father had been.

Balkan chuckled, "Words of wisdom I never knew you had Makin."

He laughed, "True, its hard to be wise when you are friends with the twins."

"That's an understatement." Murmured Dannyl.

Makin laughed again but slowly trailed off as the Sachakan came into view.

"Come now, we walk from here."

He turned and strode down the track.

Balkan didn't move. Dannyl shifted uneasily as the High Lord glared at the man and said, "We will not move until you tell us where you are taking us."

The man turned, and scowled at Balkan, "You will not tell_ me_ what to do magician," he hissed, "you will come when I tell you to come."

Without warning something pushed into their backs. Stumbling and falling they were forced alone the road.

"He's not a little pushy, is he?" murmured Makin.

For more than an hour made their way along the road. Gradually the track became steeper and the vegetation on either side more sparse until there was nothing but bare rock left.

Eventually they were on a twisting path that continuously doubled back in itself. On one side the path hugged a rock wall and on the other side a precipice fell into unknown depths.

Then, suddenly they found out where they were.

They had been walking on the path for most of the day, and were tired and hungry. Rounding a corner they expected to find another bare stretch of path but to their surprise found them selves confronted by a breathtaking view.

For miles around all they could see was an endless sea of orange and yellow. There were small groves, like veins in the land, where no doubt rivers had ran. In the distance were many hills, but to Dannyl looked like the backs of men hunching over in pain. Ripple ran from the base of the height they were standing on out into the landscape.

It was wild and beautiful but also harsh and bare. With a certainty Dannyl knew were they were. They were in-

"Sachaka. It _is _good to be home."

Dannyl turned to tare at the man. He smiled maliciously at the fearful faces around him then beckoned.

"Come now, we still have a long journey ahead of us."

Reluctantly the magicians obeyed, hoping to save them selves from having to be forced down the path again.

As he turned to follow Dannyl caught the High Lord's eyes. Balkan's expression was as hopeless as Dannyl felt.


	3. Ask someone who knows

Ask someone who knows

Slamming the book closed Sonea glared at the grey sky filling her window.

She had found nothing. Three days had passed since the magician's had went missing and she had found nothing.

_I thought the Guild was supposed to be the most comprehensive store of knowledge _she thought_._

For hours she had searched the magicians library for any reference to a coin or pendant with similar markings to the one she had found in Balkan's room, but her search had been in vain. Either the coin she had found was of a new design or it had something to do with Black Magic.

Sonea frowned, what would a coin have to do with Black Magic?

She had searched the object for any signs of magic. Usually magical objects gave off sense of the power they contained, much like a new novice gave off a faint aura of their powers before they learned to hide it. To her dismay the coin had remained stubbornly magic free.

_That rules out Black magic I suppose. _

Slumping back into the seat she considered the book in front of her. The weight of the magicians' fate rested on her shoulders, she knew. It was her unofficial duty it seemed to take care of circumstances like this, not that they had come up too often.

_Ever since the Ichani invasion the Sachakan's have feared coming too close to the Guild. _

Balkan had been worried that the Sachakan King would take advantage of the Guild's weakness and choose to invade Kyralia himself but it seemed the illusive King had other plans. Plans which consisted of sitting back and missing the opportunity to create a great Sachakan Empire once more, not than anyone in the Guild thought him particularly foolish.

She guessed everyone had felt insecure and wouldn't have been surprised if the Sachakan King had come to enslave them all.

_I wouldn't have cared._

She had lost everything during that final battle.

_Every time I cross the drive at the front of the University I can feel the rough dirt beneath my boots as Kariko destroyed the ground beneath our feet. Or when I dry my leg after being I the baths, the scar makes me feel the flash of pain up my leg as the blade came out of the ground. _

But one image haunted her every dreaming moment.

_His eyes staring sightlessly. No life. Nothing _

Every night for twenty years she had relived his death. Nothing could send it away to some dark place never to be seen again. No Nemmin or calming exercise could diminish the utter despair she felt.

Sonea opened her eyes again and frowned as she heard a whimpering. It came again and again, louder and louder. Her heart was racing and her fingers clenched the arm of her chair. It was only when a pair of hands grasped her shoulders and a pair of light brown eyes stared into her own did she realise _she _was the one making the noise.

"My lady…Lady Sonea..." Takan pleaded.

She shook her head, the pain was too much.

He knelt down in front of her and did what he always did when he found he like this. Drawing her close he held her and stroked her hair. Making soothing noises in his language. Sonea clung into him. Takan had been her savior since Akkarin had died. She didn't know what she would have done without him those first months. Of course Rothen had been a help but Takan had known Akkarin, had been his helper and his friend. Akkarin's death was as much a loss to him as it was to Sonea. They grieved together and understood each other.

Eventually Sonea grew calm and was able to smile weakly at Takan. He nodded in understanding.

Rising he began to set out the food on the tray he had hastily put down on the table bedside her.

As he lifted the tray he caught sight of the coin and frowned.

"You recognise it?" Sonea asked through a mouthful of soup.

Takak looked at her then glanced back at the coin, "I am not sure, my Lady. I…no…it can't be."

"What? What can't it be?" Sonea was desperate. Anything she could fine out about the coin would be much appreciated.

Takan frowned, "I think it is a…Roshi, my Lady. Akk…The former High Lord once told me about them."

Sonea stared at the servant, "What did…he tell you?"

"I am not sure my Lady, I think the Rashi was used as an order but I do not know."

Sonea frowned; she needed to find out more about the coin, "How did he know about it,"

Takan glanced sharply at Sonea. Once again she saw the intelligence that the man hid behind the humble servant's demeanor.

"I believe Akkarin read about it from a book."

Sonea winced at the use of Akkarin name. Then she froze, Takan could only mean one book, or one type of book.

Despair rushed through her again, "I don't even know where those books are Takan."

The servant smiled at her, a mischievous look entering his eyes, "I do."


	4. I long for adventure

I long for an adventure

As Lorkin stepped out of the Magicians' Quarters he squinted his eyes against the glaring sun.

_It seems the weather can't decide which is better cloud or sun._

It wasn't even a nice sunny day…it was a scorcher.

Like all magicians of the Guild he had to, by law, wear his robes. Most of the time this didn't bother him for it meant he didn't have to agonise over what to wear when he went out but on days like this the material felt heavy and constricting.

Sighing heavily he made his way to the Guild gates. There was a purple clad figure there, waiting patiently for his charges to arrive.

The man smiled at Lorkin as he approached, "Good morning Lorkin."

Lorkin grinned, "Good morning Rothen."

"I can see this is going to be a beautiful day."

Lorkin glared mockingly at the older man, "Yes, a beautiful day to get burnt and gain a stunning red complexion."

Rothen laughed, "Indeed, it's the only colour you seem turn."

Lorkin snorted, "Not my fault I can guarantee. Though I can give you a name that you could put the blame on." And he glared mockingly at the dark figure hurrying down the lawn.

As she drew closer she looked up at Lorkin and smiled affectionately.

"Good morning Mother." He said.

Sonea laughed, "A good morning to you both."

They set off through the gates and travelled through the inner circle.

They talked as they walked past enormous mansions, with delicate balconies and exquisite decoration. But when a mound of rubble appeared, desolate and reeking of destruction, the conversation petered off and they walked past in mournful silence.

_Thankfully there aren't many collapsed mansions left. _

Much of the inner circle had been destroyed when the Ichani began drawing magic from the magically enhanced buildings but after the invasion the Guild had set about rebuilding the houses.

"You look tired Sonea, is everything fine?"

Sonea looked at Rothen as if he had pulled her out of her thoughts then smiled wryly, 'I'm fine Rothen I just slept a little later than usual."

Looking closer at his mother Lorkin did see that faint dark circles hung under her eyes. He shook his head. She had probably stayed awake thinking again. It had been _the _day a few days ago. For as long as Lorkin could remember _the _day the Ichani had invaded was his father's day. As a young child his mother always took him, each year on that day, to the ancient cemetery where the oldest graves were. There his father was buried along with all the other magicians who had died during the invasion. For days after his mother would be distracted and easily upset. He she knew she still cared deeply for Akkarin and so left her to mourn him in peace.

"As long as that is the only reason." Rothen murmured.

Sonea smiled, "Rothen, what do you think I do at night now. There are no novices waiting to ambush me in the university anymore. There are no secret dealings in the city to look forward to." She frowned, "There aren't even any books to read."

Envy flooded Lorkin's body unexpectedly, making his heart sing with longing and his pale face frown.

For years he had heard the stories of his mother's antics as a novice. He had heard of how bravely she had endured the other novices' bullying, how she had fought and beat Regin, who was now Head of Warriors, in a formal battle. He loved to hear about how she had first found out about the Ichani and when she had first learnt black magic. Lorkin found it remarkable how someone who had been through so much, even exile in Sachaka, could have turned out to be one of the most compassionate people in the Guild. He would have expected bitterness and hate, it was well known that Sonea had lost a lot during those fateful weeks, but she went about her own business, attending to the sick slum dwellers in the hospital outside the city gates.

"What are you thinking about Lorkin?"

He looked up and found her staring at him.

He smiled, "Nothing, just wandering when I'll get an adventure of my own I suppose."

Instead of the smile he was expecting Sonea frowned, "Don't wish for anything too quickly Lorkin. I know life in the Guild isn't rife with excitement but it's better to be safe in a place where you know the rules than out in danger where the rules change and one mistake could be your last."

He stared at her in surprise, "So you're saying that you would have rather stayed in the safety of the Guild than experience all you have."

Sonea smiled wearily at him and shook her head, "No," she whispered softly, "I would relive those years of my life again and again if I could. But I just don't want you to feel the fear and hopelessness I felt at times. I care about you too much Lorkin to expose you to that."

They had reached the hospital and Sonea gave Lorkin a quick smile before disappearing into the bustle of moaning dwells and cursing healers.

Rothen stared after Sonea and smiled.

"What is it?" Lorkin asked.

The older magician turned to look at him, "I was just remembering what your mother said to me when we first met."

Lorkin smiled, "What was that?"

"That magicians should do more to help the dwells." He shook his head, "seeing Sonea finally achieve what she set out to do always gave me hope."

"Hope?"

He nodded, "Hope. Hope that she would survive. Hope that she could see a reason to live to the next day when her future was so uncertain. Hope that she would live to see her dreams come to life."

"It looks like, for once, your hope has prevailed."

Rothen smiled, "It does doesn't it."

He set off after Sonea leaving Lorkin to follow slowly behind.

_Another day in the hospital _he thought.

_What a long day it's going to be._


	5. A life

A life

I watched as the droplet of water, crystal and pure, ran down the wall and finally fall into the puddle at the base. In it I saw my life.

I saw the years I was innocent and care free, the start of the life that was my journey to this very moment.

But the good things never last. In my life I saw cruelty and death. Even when I escaped, death hounded me like a yeel after a running slave.

It is amazing how the simple comforts like a bath and a hot meal, once taken shamelessly for granted can, in your eyes, become slabs of gold full of hope and opportunity.

For me after years of suffering I saw these things as a sign, a hope, that all will eventually be right.

Even the feel of parchment under me hand as I wrote my story was a haven. In writing my story I was able to…what? Release all that I had seen? Impossible. Blank eyes and iron blood would haunt me for all my days.

But of course the good things never last. I became the executioner and the hunter. I slipped ever lower down the moral slope and, at times, became a ghost of the man I had been.

I saw doom around every bend and gad little in the way of hope.

But…it just took one thing…one spark to set alight the fire that had lain dormant in me for so long. That spark was belief.

No matter what was thrown at me I could survive.

Even now when I have joined all my brothers in their final breaths, like that little droplet has joined its brothers, I still hold on. All I have to do is think of that face and I persevere, I fight, to live to see it again.


	6. The Black Magicians

The Black Magicians

The sun was setting over the city of Imardin. The buildings of the Guild shone a fantastic orange. To any non magician in the grounds that day the sight must have seemed magical. All through out the University Novices and teachers alike were anxiously waiting for the evening gong to ring so they could escape the stifling heat on the classroom and soak in the cool spring waters of the baths.

Out in the Healers quarters the patients the elderly patients there sighed to see another sunset and the young healers groaned at the prospect of the night shift.

The garden were a flurry of activity as the gardeners added their finishing touches to the years summer beds The thought of the mug of bol awaiting for them at him spurred them on through the intense heat .

For the novices in the arena however everything was still. No warm wind stirred between those enormous arcs. No face twitched in impatience. The boys and girls watched each other intently, closely scrutinized by their teacher.

A glimmer, a strike, flew through the air. Chaos proceeded.

Strikes rained across the Arena.

While some Novices combined their shield and protected their fellows, the others attacked the opposing team.

After an intense course of striking, shielding and swearing the teacher finally cried out, "Halt."

Peace was restored to the Arena.

She stepped down form her position above the entrance to the arena and strode through the portal door.

Smiling she said, "Wynnel you're team wins the bout."

The novices to her right grinned then, as the bell rung, bowed to her and hurried away.

Soon Lorena stood by herself in the deserted arena.

_Yet another day's work complete. _Since her graduation she had done nothing but teach novices and plan lessons. It seemed that the adventure she so craved was a little lacking in the Guild.

In truth Lorena was bored.

It didn't help when her lessons consisted of stories of the other magicians' conquests and honour. One tale especially filled her with envy.

The last battle between Akkarin, Sonea and the Ichani.

She sighed and made her way to the centre of the arena. She stood and stared up at the masts arcing into the rich blue sky above.

Her mother had, of course, refused all the record keepers that had come to record her version of the Last Battle. She had even refused to tell her children about it.

Lorena had had to do with the stories from Rothen and Dorrien. But she wanted more. She wanted to know more about what it was like to face a battle when you didn't know the strength of your opponent. She wanted to hear about how to plan a battle. But most of all she wanted to hear about one person…her father. In all the stories Akkarin had remained a mysterious, aloof figure. The High Lord he was known as. But she wanted to know more and the only two people who could tell he about him refused to.

"Ugh!" she growled, glaring at the white sand beneath her feet.

"Hmmm looks like someone's in a good mood."

She looked up to find her brother leaning against one of the masts. His dark green robes and black hair emphasized his pale face…which was looking a little burnt.

Lorena smiled crookedly, "Looks like you got a little cooked Lorkin."

He laughed, "I could almost say the same about you."

"Hah! I've been in class all day. On the other hand you've been…'

"Working very hard to keep the population sick free" he interrupted.

A silence fell between them. But it wasn't uncomfortable ironically they communicated more to each other through their silence than when speaking aloud. It wasn't something they could explain. She always knew just by looking when he was angry and frustrated or happy and content. It was the same with him. There was no explanation. It was instinct. The Sibling instinct. The twin instinct.

"What is bothering you?" he asked, lowering himself down on the sand. Lorena sat beside him and leaned against the mast.

"It's the thing that is always bothering me Lorkin."

She looked over to find him nodding in understanding, 'Like wise."

Lorena scowled, "What do you think they would do if we just ran away?"

"I truly do not want to know Lorena. The Guild has misjudged its punishments in the past and with the recent disappearances I doubt they would forgive and forget."

Tutting she glared over at the other side of the arena. The chance to see the rest of the allied lands had been taken from her and Lorkin when they were seventeen. Of course if it came to it they would give their lives to the defense of Kyralia, just as their father had done, but sometimes the price of the knowledge they were given did tighten a noose of missed opportunity.

"Why can't we go? The Higher Magicians have read our minds and they know we wouldn't do anything. If I could just travel outside Imardin for a little while I would be content with my life of imprisonment." She kicked the ground in frustration, "Just once."

"I'm sorry Lorena."

She looked up to find her mother standing at the portal entrance.

She felt her heart twist at the familiar look of guilt on her mothers face.

"Mother don't…"

Sonea shook her head, "No I should never have agreed with Balkan," she shook her head in anger, "I didn't agree but they al thought it was best."

She looked into Lorena's eyes, "I _am _sorry Lorena. You both should never have been taught…"

"What Black Magic. Mother we are the Black Magicians' children it was natural that we would inherit the title." Lorkin looked pointedly at Lorena.

"And we are proud to be the rock that holds Kyralia's defense in place."

Loren nodded and suddenly smiled, "We are the Black Magicians."

Sonea looked from one of them to the other then smiled grimly, "Well then, if you are to be this so called defense of Kyralia we better get some work done."

She strode to one end of the arena. Groaning Lorena and Lorkin walked to the other end. Combing their shields they waited for their lessons to begin.

Sonea smiled, "As Black Magicians we are only able to draw power when the barrier is broken, correct?"

They both nodded.

"So it is impossible to draw power without being close to our intended source. Today I'm going to show you a trick I learnt, it requires skin to skin contact, concentration," she paused, "and a lot of courage."


	7. Forbidden Knowledge

**Disclaimer: All the characters and books in this trilogy belong to Trudi Canavan. **

Forbidden Knowledge

The passages beneath the university were a labyrinth of hidden rooms and secret trapdoors. The entrances to the passages were known by a few. Years before an Administrator fearful of what novices and magicians might get up to if they spied on each other enforced a ban on the use of the secret ways in the walls of the university. The official reason he gave was that the passages were unsafe and could endanger a magician's life but Sonea knew that a magician was very capable of surviving a cave in.

It had been years since Sonea had entered the passages. The last time had been before her and…Akkarin had faced the Ichani. They had both travelled form the Thieves' Road, into the university and exited in the Administrator's study.

_I don't think after that I could bear entering the passages._

It had been well known that, during his time as High Lord, _He_ had used the passages. Sonea had proof of this. Before she had challenged Regin to a formal Battle he had gathered a group of novices each night and way layed her in a deserted part of the university. Desperate to escape these attacks Sonea had searched for a map of the passages so she could have a quick getaway if she was ever cornered by Regin. She had eventually found one in the old case in the Magicians' Library. Making a copy she had used it to avoid Regin's ambushes. But one night she had entered the passages to escape and found she was not alone. _He _had ordered her never to enter the passages again, and fearing him as she did when she hadn't known the truth, she had obeyed him.

Sonea reached the Administrator's office and took a deep breath. She clutched the map in her hands and quickly broke the magical lock guarding the door. Manipulating the physical lock she opened the door and slipped inside. Closing the door behind her she glided to the portrait hanging behind Osen's desk and pulled the lever behind it. Silently a door opened beside her. Cool air filtered in to the room making Sonea shiver.

Steeling herself she created a small globe light and entered the passages.

Shutting the door behind her, she opened the plan and carefully considered what Takan had told her. The books she needed were stored in a room close to the High Lord's residence. Takan had marked it out on the plan.

_This is going to take a while. _

Sonea made her way to the first cross drawn out on the map. Looking down she noted the thick layer of dust over the trap door.

_No one has been here in a while._

She opened the trapdoor and climbed down the ladder into the passages under the university.

As she travelled through the countless rooms and corridors she constantly checked her progress against the plan. The last thing she wanted was to get lost.

Sonea sensed the barrier before she came to it. She regarded it in dismay. Obviously the power of more than one magician had gone into it.

_I bet all the Higher Magicians added their strength to this barrier. _

Beyond the barrier there was a room. She could see what she wanted.

Travelling on she circled the room but couldn't find a weakness anywhere. There was no way through the ground because she was on the lowest level and according to her map there was no way through the ceiling.

Sonea returned to the barrier and growled in frustration. The key to the mystery of the coin lay in front of her and she couldn't reach it.

Creeping closer Sonea examined the room as best she could. The floor was made of packed dirt and the walls were bare bricks. As her eyes roved the ceiling she noticed something strange. There was a root hanging through the ceiling.

_How could there be a root there? Unless a tree had grown in the university and I haven't noticed yet. _

She chuckled at the image of a tree blocking the main university corridor and a group of baffled novices looking at it in wonder.

Then she realised _I'm under the university anymore!_

Looking at her plan she confirmed her suspicions. This room is close to the entrance to the room under the High Lord's residence. That meant that she must be somewhere under the forest.

_Which explains the tree root. _

She frowned if a tree root could grow down into the room that meant that the ceiling wasn't protected by magic.

She smiled as she realised the perfect way to get into the room.

_I have to find that tree. _

Turing she ran and found the door that allowed her to exit the passages near the Entrance Hall.

Starting at the bottom of the steps she imagined the hidden passages beneath her feet and mentally followed them while watching her surroundings. She eventually stopped where she estimated the room should be. Before her stood an enormous tree.

_Looks like I found it._

Sonea looked at the roots and started hunting for a gap big enough that would allow her through without her having to tamper with the tree. After searching for a while she found a space big enough and began exerting her will. She shifted the soil and piled it up beside her. As the hole got bigger she encountered more roots. Some were easily pushed aside with others she had to cut off with magic.

It took Sonea over an hour before she broke into the room. Smiling grimly she crawled on her hand and knees to the hole and gently eased herself into the hole. She created a disk of power beneath her feet and slowly levitated to the floor.

Dusting the soil off her robes she regarded the room again. When she saw the barrier she laughed aloud at her success. Not long ago she had been standing on the other side of that looking for a way to get in.

But then she reminded herself of the reason she was here and slowly turned to look at the object she had gone to soo much trouble to get.

The battered chest rested in the centre of the room. To someone who didn't know what was it contained it looked innocent with its rusted locks a worn appearance. But Sonea knew what it contained. This was the only knowledge the Guild had of Black Magic. In the chest were the instructions on Black Magic left by an older Guild in case it ever faced a threat from Sachaka. Along with theses instructions were _His _own records of the Ichani and his time in Sachaka.

Sonea moved over to the chest. Casting out her senses she didn't sense a magical lock on the chest.

_They must have thought that if anyone could get past the barrier then a magical lock wouldn't be much of a hindrance._

The chest creaked slightly as she opened it. Inside lay stacks of books, some ancient, some not as old. 

Carefully she pulled out each book looking for the blue bound book that Takan described.

The small book that she pulled out next caused her to gasp. It was Coren's Diary. Memories rushed over her of when _He _had given to her to read.

Tears slid down her face and she quickly put the book down before she could upset herself anymore.

At the bottom of the chest the Blue book lay. Small and worn, it had gotten wedged between the side of the chest and a big tome.

She grinned and took it out carefully. The book was heavy for its size.

She quickly hid it in a pocket in her robes and hastily put the books back in the chest, suddenly fearful of the time. When all was as it had been she shut the chest. Before she levitated back up to the surface she cast it one final glance.

Sonea rose quickly to the surface. She created a shield on the roof of the room to support the soil and quickly piled all the soil back into the hole. When the solid had been smoothed and all trace of her intrusion hidden Sonea allowed herself a small sigh. She had gotten the book with out being caught.

She felt in her pocket again to make sure the book was still there then made her way to the Magicians' quarters, slightly dirty but extremely pleased with herself.


	8. Caught!

**Disclaimer: Trudi Canavan owns the Black Magician Trilogy, not me. **

Caught!

The moon, full and ripe at the turning of the month, shone its mysterious light on the dark grounds of the Magicians' Guild.

Out in the city the rich were dancing and celebrating, drinking fine wines and romancing in the moonlight. Out in the slums men toasted and sang drinking songs absolutely unsuitable for the ears of their wives and children who stayed in their humble homes and told stories in their cold beds.

Everyone had a purpose, a destination, a job to do. Even the man travelling without permission on the Thieves' Road had a reason for slighting the Thieves' rules.

He was the after storm, sent to wreak havoc on the already shaken Guild.

He travelled unseen, a shadow in dark corners. On and on, his pace unfaltering, his green eyes sharp, on the loom out for danger.

Soon he came to a dead end. A cave in from when the roof had fallen in years ago. The lines on his forehead deepened in concentration then the corridor filled with the sound of stones scraping on stones. The cave in had disappeared and before him a set of stairs led down into a maze of underground passages. Smiling he strode forward and descended, his job was almost done.

From a distance the headstones looked like little primitive buildings protruding from the ground. There were so many it was a little city in the dark But now sitting among them, with the full moon above, Lorkin saw them with a clarity only the moon's magic can give. He looked as though through a sheet of blue glass. The stones were brighter, sharper, the names darker, unknown. It was a mystical place; away form the troubles of life.

It was peaceful among the dead. Many were terrified of the graves, the mystery and the knowledge that when their death came there would be no grave, sent a chill up the spines of many magicians, causing them to avoid the place.

But Lorkin found that his death, that came closer with every moment of every day, didn't frighten him. What frightened him most was life. His life. He hoped that when his time did come he would be able to feel content that he had seen and experienced all the adventures that were out there. What made it more challenging for him was the fact that he was a Black Magician, never allowed to leave the city of Imardin.

_I will live my life _he promised.

He looked at the headstone before him.

_Just like he did._

The name engraved on the headstone was clear and precise.

"Akkarin of the family Delvon, of house Velan," Lorkin murmured, "twenty eight of Urdon."

During his youth Lorkin had always wanted a father. He had seen all the other children in the Guild going fishing and riding with their fathers during free day. He used to hide in a dark corners of the university and cry in self pity. He felt it unfair that what he desired with all his heart wouldn't come.

Sonea had never married after Akkarin's death, she had loved him to much to replace him or fill the empty space he had left. So Lorkin had remained fatherless.

It was on one of his tearful escapades into the university that he heard the sobbing of another. Curious despite his hurt he followed the sounds until he came across a boy, knees hugged close to his chest, tears running down his face, He had looked as miserable as Lorkin felt.

Seeing Lorkin the boy had quickly got to his feet and shamefully rubbed the tears off his face. He had looked warily at Lorkin, the desire to run clear on his face. With childlike carelessness Lorkin had asked him why he had been crying.

"I don't like it." The boy had said, hiccupping.

"What don't you like?"

The boy had grimaced and nodded in the direction of the main corridor, "I don't like them."

This had confused Lorkin, "Did you tell your father that you don't like them?"

Lorkin hadn't known who _they _were, but he knew it was always good to tell someone older about who you didn't like. The problem always went away.

To his surprise the boy had burst into tears again.

"I don't have a father." He bawled, "He went away and Mama says he can't come back.

Lorkin had stared at the boy, here was someone like him.

"Me too." He had whispered.

That was how he had met Makin. Lorkin smiled at the memory. After that they had became firm friends. When he had introduced Makin to Lorena they had taken to each other just as easily. The common loss that they shared had bonded them, allowed them to mourn together and support each other.

_Now Makin's gone and I don't know where he is. _

His friend had been among the magicians who had disappeared. Everyday Lorkin worried for his friend and hoped that his mother would find something that would lead her quickly to the person behind the disappearances.

Lorkin sighed and looked t the grave again. It was late and tomorrow would be another day of tedious ailments and complaints.

He rose and stepped up to the stone. Laying his hand on it he murmured a quiet farewell to his father and started off through the woods. Reaching the road he strode quickly toward the distant university building.

Lorkin sighed in contentment as he entered his warm rooms but scowled as he saw the bag on the chair. He had forgotten to renew the supplies for his work tomorrow. He crossed the room and picked up the bag.

_Best make this quick then. _

It was a short walk to the healer's building and he had soon collected his supplies. Just as he was about to leave the supply cabinet he saw, through the window, a figure crossing the gardens. The person was crouching, constantly stopping and turning to check behind them.

_This can't be good. _

Dropping the bag Lorkin hurried out of the Healer's building. The figure was still crossing the garden when he burst through the doors.

"Hai you!" he shouted.

The figure whirled around. Lorkin hastily created a shield as the stranger threw a strike at him.

Strike after strike was thrown at him and Lorkin was forced to strengthen his shield and send a few fire strikes in reply.

The stranger suddenly turned and began to run towards the distant High Lord's residence.

"I don't think so."

Lorkin sprinted after the man, lowering his shield to conserve his energy.

Suddenly the man whirled around and struck.

Lorkin flew through the air and landed, winded, on the lawn.

Immediately his attacker was on him, sliding a blade across the bare skin on his neck.

Lorkin froze in terror. The man was going to drain him; he was going to use Black Magic.

Quickly Lorkin flew through his options. He could use the knowledge his mother had given him and crush the man's heart, but the Guild would need to interrogate this attacker to find out why he was here. As he shoved the man's hand away from his bleeding throat he remembered a day, so long ago, when his mother's friend Cery was teaching Lorena self defense.

_If he comes for you from in front Lorena you drive your knee upwards. That way you're guaranteed to hit something. Are you, listening Lorena, this could be the difference between you surviving a non magical attack or not._

The man groaned as Lorkin drove his knee straight into his groin. He rolled off Lorkin and rolled on the lawn in pain.

Lorkin quickly got up onto his hands and knees and searched for the knife. A glint to his left drew him towards the blade. He swept it up and hurried over to the man. Before he could react Lorkin ran the blade along the man's arm, placed his hand over the cut and began drawing strength. He stopped only when the man lay still, exhausted.

Lorkin sighed in relief and dropped the blade onto the grass. He touched hi neck and drew away his hand grimacing at the dark blood on it.

"Lorkin!"

He turned to find Sonea rushing over to him.

She looked at him, and then looked down at the man on the ground, "What happened?"

Lorkin quickly told her what had happened. She remained silent throughout his story then looked down at the man.

"Let's see who has decided to pay us a visit tonight."

She created a small globe light and sent it towards the man.

The broad features and dark skin sent a familiar shiver up Lorkin's spine.

Sonea looked at him, her face resigned.

"Let's go wake the Higher Magicians."


	9. The Sachakan

Mission

Osen rubbed his eyes and drew on a little Healing power to chase away the weariness. He had been woken up during the night again, but this time by Sonea son, Lorkin. They had made their way to the arena where they had found Sonea with an unexpected visitor. Osen's heart sank with dread as he took in the man's dark skin and broad features. He was clearly Sachakan. The rest of the higher magician's had arrived and they had moved to Osen's office to discuss the matter. The Sachakan had been imprisoned in the arena and a heavy guard of Warriors had been set to watch over him.

At some point Sonea had slipped out. Osen wished he could have joined her for the magicians' conversations had been going around in circles for most of the night.

Bringing himself back to the present Osen stifled a sigh as Regin began to discuss, yet again, the different reasons why the Sachakan had come into the Guild.

"I just don't understand. Why would the Sachakan come here, did they not learn the last time that the Guild is not to be trifled with."

"You mean Akkarin and Sonea are not to be trifled with. "Murmured Peakin,

If Regin heard he didn't show it.

"We don't know if he has anything to do with the kidnappings but there is a great possibility. But why kidnap those magicians? Why not one of us? Of course he wouldn't take Sonea, she would have killed him but...I just don't understand."

"I think, even though it is not encouraged, the only way to find out is if we read the man's mind." Vinara said.

The magicians winced. They knew she did not mean a truth read.

At that moment their discomfort was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Glad for the distraction Osen called, "Come in."

Sonea entered frowning, Osen noted the how tired and worn she looked. These last few days had worn her down.

_But then when has she ever looked like she used to._

Akkarin's death had hit Sonea hard. The higher magicians had assumed that Sonea had been a misled by a stronger and more formidable magician. It was only her reaction toAkkarin's death that had shown them how mistaken they were. She had _loved _Akkarin. The first weeks after his cleat they had worried. But after the twins had been born Sonea had improved, if slightly.

_I think they gave her something to live for. _

"We were just talking about you Sonea." Regin said, smiling slightly.

"I thought so. You want me to read his mind"

"How did you guess?"

Sonea smiled grimly at him, "I have my ways."

Osen chuckled quietly at the friendly exchange. Regin had changed a lot after the invasion. It had seemed that he and Sonea had come to an uneasy truce that had eventually formed into a firm friendship. It was ironic that Regin, once the tormentor who had waylaid her, along with a large group of novices, abandoned parts of the university, and form what Osen had heard, on several occasions exhausted her, had become one of Sonea's close companions. It has also surprised many when he became Lorena, her daughters, Guardian during Lorena's third year at the university.

Sonea sighed and fell into a seat.

"When will you be able to do it?" Vinara asked.

"As soon as I can."

"Why do you think he is here Sonea?" Peakin asked. He was sitting in the end of his seat and wringing his hands in worry. The prospect of the Guild facing another attach form the Sachakan's was daunting. The Head of Alchemists wasn't the only on to worry.

Sonea's expression turned grim and oddly it reminded Osen of Akkarin when occasionally he had been present during an important discussion between Akkarin and Lorlen.

Sonea had been the former High Lord's novice and had excelled at what she did. It was even thought; due to her strength that she would have been a good candidate for High Lady. But that was impossible now.

_I guess she has inherited Akkarin's title. He was known as _the _Black Magician and now she is,_

"I wish I knew Peakin but at this stage I can't say But I don't think it will be good."

Peakin's head dropped and he stared intently at the floor. Osen caught Sonea's eye and nodded imperceptibly to the door. She took the hint and rose, straightening her robes.

"I had better go and read this man's mind."

Osen nodded, "make sure you report to us as soon as you have finished."

Sonea inclined her head to the magicians then strode to the door and left.

"I hope she doesn't find what she believes she will find." Muttered Rothen,

Osen looked up at the magician. He has been silent during the whole meeting but Osen saw the tell tale frown between Rothen's brows, he was as worried as the rest of them about this Sachakan.

"As do I Rothen, as do I."

The brown robed figures moved quickly as side as they saw the formidable black robed magician stride down the corridor. Many bowed quickly while a few forgot and stared, a mixture of fear and awe on their faces.

Sonea didn't notice the novices, he mind was in a more dark and fearful place. It had been tedious the night before when, after she had made sure that the Sachakan was safely locked up in the arena and a heavy guard placed to watch over him, she had to attend the discussion with the higher magicians. Their speculations had gotten them nowhere and the weight of the small book in her pocket that she knew was the key to the mystery of the coin, and also the key to her death if she was found with it, had driven almost insane. Finally after what had seemed an age she had excused herself on the pretence of going to inspect the warriors. Instead she had rushed to her rooms and pulled out the book. She shivered as she remembered what she had found on the chapter title _The Rashi_. It had a whole chapter dedicated to its explanation and Sonea had soon discovered why;

_The Rashi, an honour in among Sachakan intelligence officers, is an honour to receive. The Sachakan Emperor Rikana invented the small Gold coin to represent a 'royal order' of the most secretive nature and used it during the creation of his empire. After the Battle of the Steelbelt Ranges, known as the Empire's Battle in Elyne, patriotic rebel groups who fought against the Sachakan rule and enslavement captured known Sachakan infiltrators and found the small gold coin. To us this Rashi would be the equivalent of the rumoured 'Royal Scroll' the Kyralian King supposedly gives out to his most skilled assassin to carry out a 'special job'. The Rashi has the Emperor Rikana's face on one side and the glyph for higher magic on the other side to represent the power of the Emperor and his word. All who stand against such a person who had been dained the honour of carrying the Rashi are doomed to face the Emperors wrath._

The text had continued on but Sonea had read enough. Now that it seemed that the Sachakan King had something to do with the disappearances didn't bode at all well for the Guild.

As Sonea reached the Entrance Hall she slowed and considered what she had to do. Reading the man's mind would be unpleasant for both of them, but it was a task that couldn't be avoided. She had promised _Him_ that she would read a mind if there was threat and, if the man was working for the Sachakan King, there _was _a threat.

Sonea sighed and started down the University steps. She walked along the path to the arena and the huge masts towering into the sky like eight curled fingers soon appeared.

She had so many memories of the arena, in the arena. She visited it every night in her dreams. She visited it every night in her nightmares.

Akkarin would stand in the centre of the arena, his black robed silver in the moonlight. As she came towards him he would glare at her and step away shouting, "Why did I die Sonea? Why did you let me die Sonea?"

She would scream back. Tears in her eyes, "I tried Akkarin, you told me to fight on. You told me..."

But he would continue to accuse her until she woke up sobbing. The guilt and the grief she felt weighed her down inside. She knew that _He_ had given his last remaining power, the power keeping him alive, to her so she could kill the Ichani. He had died to save Kyralia and to save her from the harshness and cruelty of being the Ichani's slave. What she owed him was priceless, she could never, even in death, repay him.

Sonea nodded to the Warrior guarding the portal and descended down into the arena. She saw the man lying on the ground staring up at the sky. As he heard her approach he quickly got to his feet and backed away, like a reber from Limek.

Sonea saw plainly the fear etched into every line on the man's face and felt a wave of sympathy for him, but she had to be firm, he was her enemy until proven otherwise. Stepping forward she crossed her arms, "Come here."

The man's didn't move.

"There are many ways we can do this and some of them not at all pleasant. Please do not make me have to make use force."

Looking closely at his face Sonea saw the moment when the man resigned himself to his own fate, He knew that no matter what he did he would die.

Slowly he stepped forward and Sonea placed her fingers on his temples. She immediately I=encountered the man's mental barriers. Focussing on the sole desire to enter the man's mind she eventually slipped through the barriers. The man was thinking if his family would receive the promised gold.

"What gold?" Sonea asked.

An image of a hooded figure flickered through the man's mind; capturing the memory Sonea examined it. A man had come to Trikan and told him that the Emperor had need of his skills. Trikan had been surprised and suspicious. How did this man know about his magical ability and the skills he had learned form his father who had been an assassin for an Ashaki. But, when the stranger had pulled out a clinking bag Trikan pushed aside his suspicions and agreed to carry out the mission that the stranger had described. Putting the money away promising that Trikan would receive it in full on his return to Sachaka the hooded figure had then pressed a single coin into Trikan's hand and left. Looking down at the Rashi Trikan knew that in this mission he had never really had a choice.

Sonea felt sympathy for the man. Having your life decided foe you in such a cruel way must have been awful for the man.

"What was your mission?"

_Take the son of the Higher Magician Sonea. _

Sonea nearly exited the man's mind.

"What did this stranger want with Lorkin?"

Trikan didn't know. He had been given instruction to follow but beyond that...nothing. Sonea searched the rest of his mind but found nothing else of any interest. She lifted her hands from his head and regarded the man in dismay.

"Give it to me."

Holding out her hand she waited as he reached into the pocket of his trousers and and pulled out the Rashi he had been given.

Putting the coin in her own pocket she strode from the arena, this wasn't good.

"Did you learn anything else from his mind?"

Sonea shook her head. Regin had been attacking her with questions for the last half hour, trying to find any evidence of where the magician's had been taken and why."

To Osen what Sonea had found about the Rashi and Lorkin being the intruder's intended victim wasn't a good sign.

"I think..." All faces looked towards the Administrator. He cleared his throat, "I think Sonea that you are going to have to go into Sachaka and try to find out yourself what it is the King wants with us."

They all stared at him as if he had just suggested they all go outside and enjoy the sun without their robes on.

"You expect me to march up to the Sachakan King and ask him why he is trying to kidnap our magicians." Sonea's voice was incredulous.

Osen shook his head, "No. This Trikan had to meet the stranger that gave him the Rashi to make to exchange, am I right?"

She nodded.

"When was this meeting to take place?"

Sonea frowned in concentration and eventually said, "Two week from now."

Osen nodded, "So instead of Trikan meeting the man you meet him and read his mind. Find out what the King plans, all the associates anything that will help us find the missing magicians."

Sonea's expression was thoughtful, "I guess it would work."

"Are we forgetting something?" demanded Lord Kano, Head of Healing Studies. He pointed at Sonea, "Sonea isn't allowed to leave Imardin,"

"That is why we are going to have to inform the King of what has happened." Osen said, smiling grimly.


	10. The Mission

The Mission

Life is a fickle thing. Everyday we go about our lives gaining and losing, laughing and crying, living and dying. Every day we promise ourselves we will do better the next day, whether it be when working, achieving our personal goals or even finding the one.

I used to be one of those people but now...I'm not. I sit in the dark with nothing to do. I am gone from the world I knew best, gone and nothing but a memory that will soon slip into the layers of time.

Bright light pierces my eyes. A figure is standing in the doorway; as soon as he speaks I know who he is.

"It seems you won't be alone in here for very long." The Herana booms.

He leaves, slamming the door with a cruel laugh.

I lie back again. This cannot be good.

"My Lady, the Guild is so huge, why could it not defeat the Ichani."

Lorena suppressed a sigh and looked up at the Novice who had spoken. It was Norin. Small, pale and thin he was one of many dwells at the Guild.

"You need to remember Norin that the Guild was not so large during the Ichani invasion. It is only due to the intake of Novices from the other classes that we were able to achieve such a large number and create a once again powerful Guild."

"Hah, powerful Guild," snorted a voice from the back, "How can it be so powerful when we have scum and dishwashers among us. This is not what I would call powerful...it's more like a sewer the Guard have forgotten to flush out for rats."

The boy looked pointedly at the back of Norin's head. Norin had turned deep shade of red and had taken a great interest in the black letters in the page in front of him.

Lorena stared at the boy. Her face was ice, featureless and emotionless. It was a face all Novices learned to fear and most magicians tried to avoid.

"Rats Singin? The only rat I see here is you."

The other novices gasped and turned to look at Singins reaction. He was leaning back in his chair and examining his perfectly manicured nails.

"Yes my Lady. I find it quite unpleasant that I have to sit and," he shuddered, "share a class with these vile creatures. They belong in the gutter with the rest of their kind."

The silence was heavy in the room. No one spoke, no one moved; it almost seemed like no one dared to breathe.

"I see...so in saying that all people of the lower class are scum you would also be classifying Lady Sonea in this generalisation. Lady Sonea who saved Kyralia and guaranteed your future with her sacrifice."

The boy sneered up at her, "_Lady _Sonea did nothing for me. My family left Kyralia as soon as they saw the threat coming. A threat that was caused by Akkarin, a shame on the Houses. It had nothing to do with us."

Lorena's anger flared at the snub against her father but befroe she could speak a mental image appeared, blocking out the tense class in front of her. She sensed anger and fear.

_Osen?_

_Sonea!_

_They knew I was coming. I'm surrounded._

Lorena saw three figures in front of her. All were dressed in strange black clothes...and all held the curved blade popular among Sachakan Black Magicians. She could sense movement behind her and knew that there were more behind her. Simultaneously they began attacking her shield. Sonea's shield.

_Fight then Sonea _Regin sent.

_I'm not strong enough._

Lorena's heart froze. Before she left her mother had taken strength from several magicians including her and Lorkin. But if Sonea thought she wouldn't be strong enough-

_I'm weakening_

Lorena could feel her mother's fear as she felt her power ebb. She held her breath as the shield wavered then fell.

Sonea fell to her knees and the lead Sachakan stepped forward. He crouched down and grabbed Sonea's wrist. Lorena felt a flash of pain then abruptly the classroom in front of her came back. All the Novices were looking at each other in puzzlement. Some began whgispering, speculating what could have happened.

But Sonea's daughter stood frozen at the top of the class. The pain and grief began to well and deepen. Her mother was dead. The silence...the emptiness after the pain was all the confirmation Lorena needed.

A low chuckle brought her attention back to Singin, "Looks like the great and honourable Sonea has just lost her final battle. It could not have come sooner."

Lorena's eyes lit up. Her breathing became shallower. Her nostrils flared. If the Novices had known her better they would have seen the slight crouch in her stance, the pale skin turning white. Like water and fire are opposites, so are anger and true grief. Slowly she turned to the boy and looked at him. Looked at him. He stared back but the smug smile on his face faltered and died. In her eyes he saw who Lorena truly was. The other Novices couldn't see the desire, the hunger and the strength that lay dormant inside their usually laughing teacher. But Singin did see it and what he saw he feared. It was not Lorena's eyes he was seeing, it was Akkarin's. For she was the High Lord's daughter. His loyalty was her loyalty. His bravery was her bravery. His sacrifice was her sacrifice.

Turing on her heel Lorena strode out of the room. Singin was left alone and all the Novices were left confused as to what had happened. But Singin knew now what he was facing and he knew there were worse things out there than the anger of a very powerful magician. One that was on his side.

"The fact is we need to find those magicians."

Lorkin shook his head and tried to ignore the weight in his chest. Experiencing his mother's death had been indescribable. He looked at Lorena who sat pale and quiet in the other chair. They were alone now.

"And what, let the only Black Magicians we have get killed? We would be left defenceless to the Ichani and the Sachakan King. They will not go."

"What about the magician's?" cried Vinara, "we need to find out where they have been taken?"

The higher magicians looked at each other, their expressions grim. They were torn between protecting themselves and saving the missing magicians. Sonea's death had complicated an already tense matter and now the magicians were at a loss of what was the best course to take.

A soft voice spoke up, "I think that there is only one obvious thing we can do."

Lorkin looked at the Head of Alchemy sitting stooped in his chair.

"What is that Lord Peakin?" asked Vinara.

"One will have to go to Sachaka and continue Sonea's mission while the other stays here encase of a threat from the King."

Lorkin looked up sharply and glared at Peakin.

"No." Hissed Lorena.

"Out of the question." Said Rothen.

Regin shook his head.

Old Director Jerrick's face creased in confusion, "Why...?"

"Why not? Why not? Why should we? Lorena and I are not separating." Lorkin rose to his feet and moved closer to the old alchemist, very close.

"Lorkin..." Osen warned. He looked down at his desk then apologetically up at Lorkin. "As much as I hate to admit it I think that Peakin in right. Separating you both would solve both problems.

Lorkin looked around at the other magicians and found to his horror that most of them were nodding in agreement. Anger blazed and spread like ink on cloth until his whole body was burning. Yet to those in the room Lorkin eyes were ice, his body ridged, his face defiant.

Taking a deep breath Lorkin turned to face Osen, "Lorena and I will not be separated." He said simply.

Lorena stood behind Lorkin offering her silent support.

Osen shook his head, "Lorkin, _one _of you will stay here."

"No, no you can't do that we will not..."

"Enough! You will do as we ask or I will have the King make it an order and I somehow doubt you would refuse to do what he says. You are here only because the King wills it. The children of Black magicians and black magicians yourselves under law you should be executed. It is your turn to repay the favour and do as we ask you."

Lorkin stared at Osen in shock. The Administrator glared back at him but beneath it Lorkin saw weariness. Osen had reached the end of his patience.

Before Lorkin could apologise Lorena strode forward and slammed both her hand on Osen's desk.

"We could be cast out because we are Black magicians huh? And whose choice was it to make us black magicians Osen? Wasn't it you...and the rest of these pathetic magicians in here? Didn't you decide among yourselves that the knowledge of Black Magic should stay in the family, inherited generation after generation? Two magicians to be held prisoners because they were born a descendent of Akkarin and Sonea" She looked down at the desk and growled, "We are not here because of you, we are here for our mother but...she...she is gone now."

Silence permeated to the air in the room as Lorena reminded them all of Sonea's death. It was a heavy silence, and grave silence, a mourning silence.

Lorena's head rose and she stared at Osen with grief filled eyes, "I will go."

Osen's brows rose with surprise.

Lorena stepped away from the desk and strode toward the door. Opening it she paused and her voice was so low Lorkin was unsure whether she was speaking to the occupants of the room or to herself.

"I will not let my parents' sacrifice be for nothing."

As the door slammed behind her Lorkin turned with wide eyes to Rothen. He looked equally shocked.

Lorkin strode to the door and hurried into the corridor but Lorena was nowhere to be seen. She had left without him.

Lorena cantered along the road the hooves of her horse on the dirt a soothing rhythm that eased the anger and hurt in her heart but she couldn't escape the Osen's words. It had never occurred to her that she could so easily have lost her life.

_I wouldn't have allowed them to kill me. I would have escaped. Lorkin and I would have..._

But she couldn't pursue the thought. When they were younger Lorkin and she had vowed that they would never leave each other. They were one, the remnants of a love between two magicians who had been misunderstood and punished. They had done everything together, caused mischief together, mourned together. But now Lorena was breaking that vow, leaving half of hr behind in the Guild.

_At least he will be safe. They will do nothing to him. They need him._

Lorena thought of the mission she had to carry out. Her mother had set out to meet a stranger in Arvice eight days from now that the Sachakan prisoner was supposed to meet.

Lorena had been so glad that she had gone instead of Lorkin when she heard that the Sachakan's target had been Lorkin.

The meeting place was to be a disused raka storage building.

A little flicker of excitement sparked in Lorena. Her longing for adventure had finally been realised just not in the way she had hoped.

_It seems that adventure always comes after death. If you could call it adventure. Father began hunting the Sachakan slaves after he killed Dakova, Mother was exiled after Lord Jolen's death, I'm on a mission to Sachaka after mother's death. _

It would have been humorous, her families constant battle with Sachaka if so many deaths hadn't been the result.

Lorena was brought out of her reverie by the distant sound of hoof beats.

_Probably a messenger._

She moved to the side of the road as the hoof beats drew closer.

The neighing of a horse and the scrape of hooves on dry dirt echoed in the silence of the empty road.

Lorena turned.

"I cannot believe you were going to go to Sachaka without me."

Lorena grinned as Lorkin dismounted and sauntered over to her. He looked strange without his robes. The black shirt and trousers he wore made him look...thinner and emphasised his pale skin.

He reached her and lent both his elbows on her leg, cupping his head in his hands. He tilted his head to the side and grinned crookedly at Lorena. She was suddenly reminded of Sonea and the way she looked at them both whenever they had done something wrong and she had been called down to Osen's office, yet again, to listen and bear the complaints levelled at her children. Out of the two of them Lorkin was more like their mother: patient, enduring and caring.

"What is the plan sister?"

Lorena looked sceptically at him, "you don't know?"

Lorkin laughed, "You're right. We should get moving."

He moved towards his horse and mounted.

Looking at her brother grinning at her Lorena felt an instinctive need to protect him.

"You heard what the Sachakan's target was didn't you Lorkin."

Lorkin's grin slowly faded, "I did."

Lorena grimaced, "Lorkin if the Sach..."

"No Lorena, please."

"I'm just thinking of you Lorkin. It is only us left now mother's gone. I...I don't want to lose you."

Lorkin shook his head, "How do you think I would feel if something happened to you and I was the only one left. I would rather die with you than live in a world without you."

Lorena felt tears spring to her eyes. Lorkin meant every word of what he said. She knew what he was talking about...she wouldn't like to be the only one left either. She was being selfish thinking she could protect him by leaving him. It would cause him more pain than he ever deserved.

Lorena looked up at Lorkin and snorted softly, "Very poetic Lorkin but who will be the first to run when we meet an Ichani?"


	11. Final Destination

Final Destination

Day in day out, a journey ends and another begins. Each ship that sets sail from the arena has a part of call. Through tall waves they sail on and on. What will those daring sailors find on their voyage? There are rumours of strange creatures on the horizon. One only has to look close enough and they can see the tail of a sea serpent or hear the tantalising voice of the sea women, calling sailors to their watery deaths. Or what of the weather. That great power, King of the land and sea. He blows and he thunders and he screams white. Throwing his anger and distress at those tiny little wooden vessels he tries to toss them, drown them, so he can collect them and add to his collection under the sea.

Or what of those avid adventurers? On foot they travel from town to town, from cave to cave, from library to library. Seeking knowledge, power and excitement. They join with the Mistress of time herself and both form a coupling, a brief love affair where the secrets of the past unravel to give the glory, sadness and joy of times dead and buried.

Some journey to reach that long missed shore. Where the startling endless blue sky combines with the green traquille sea in an indistinct line. Where the cliff looms over the water like a plate soon to fall over. Children jump and squeal in unrestrained delight at the weightless feeling of the jump then the cold quiet of the sea engulfs them before they emerge laughing and screaming for more.

Even the old journey. A walk to that favourite part of ht garden where the blossoms bloom on the trees in the spring like silk ruffles. Where the birds sine their unending song of the world and its beauty. Where they can remember being young and dancing in the soft grass they now shuffle through.

For some not all journeys are so happy, so nostalgic, so free. For some who trek into dangerous lands, uninvited and ignorant to its people, their journey can become a nightmare. Every day they travel on and everyday that yearning for home grows until it is their one desire. They turn back and point their feet for home, If they can make back is another thing entirely.

The sound of the cart clanking to a stop woke Dannyl form his restless sleep. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and shook the last remnants of his nightmare away. He had dreamed that he had been travelling through the Sachakan waste lands lost and alone. But the constant figure of their kidnapper had appeared. He held a knife and grinned maliciously. Suddenly Tayend had appeared. The Sachakan had grabbed for him and, in a tight embrace, he held a curved knife to Tayend's throat. Dannyl had been so afraid, afraid for Tayend, afraid of what the Sachakan would do to Tayend and afraid of what he might do to him. Every part of his body cried out of him to move but he could not. It was as if the dust at his feet had glued him to the spot. He had watched helplessly as the Sachakan slid the knife across Tayend's neck. The last thing Dannyl saw before he woke was the look of utter terror in the scholars face, in his lovers face.

Voices outside drew Dannyl's attention away from his grim thoughts. He recognised the voice of their captor, speaking in Sachakan. Another voice replied, deep and unfamiliar. The spoke briefly the he heard a heavy tread moving away. The unknown speaker?

All was silent before the canvas over the opening of the cart was ripped aside. The magicians in the cart groaned as the Sachakan shouted, all pulled out of their exhausted sleep. They had walked for days before they had stolen the cart at a small village, deep in the wastelands. It was like a small oasis. The endless physical exertion combined with the fear and anxiety that had spread through the group like a poison when they heard Sonea had been killed had taken its toll. They were now hopeless, lost and at the mercy of the Sachakan Black Magician.

A Black Magician that was at this moment ordering them out of the cart for no doubt another gruelling march.

_It would have been fine had we been able to Heal ourselves. _But the Sachakan had taken the power they had regained each day rendering them useless and powerless to even attempt to fight back.

One by one the magicians wearily climbed out of the cart. Dannyl was the last one out and looked around curiously. They were in a small courtyard. There were patted plants against three walls creating an almost tropical setting. Directly in front of them there was an archway leading into unknown darkness.

"I don't much fancy walking in the dark with a Black Magician Ambassador Dannyl. Especially a Sachakan Black Magician."

Danny turned and regarded Makin in surprise. Ever since they had received Sonea's mental communication and through it experienced her death, the young magician had been pale and quiet. Every time Dannyl had tried to speak with his he had been met with stony silence.

Of course Dannyl understood. Makin was close friends with Lorkin and Lorena, Sonea's children. Overtime Makin had begun to regard Sonea as a second mother. Her high regard for his father had ensured that he was always welcome at her table.

Dannyl smiled grimly, "Neither do I but it seems our esteemed guide has decided that we will."

Makin frowned at the Sachakan's back as he stalked through the arch and into the darkness. Slowly shaking his head he followed.

As Dannyl stepped into the sticky blackness he had to rely on his senses to stay in walk in the right direction. The Sachakan's footsteps were far ahead but still distinguishable among the curses, grunts and exclamations of the other magicians fumbling in the dark. It was some time before Dannyl noticed that he could see the faces of the other magicians. There was a light ahead. Strong and yellow. If Dannyl had been in any other place than Sachaka he would have hurried towards that light. It emitted safety and care. But he was in Sachaka, there was nowhere safe for magicians in Sachaka.

Eventually they reached a large entrance hall but it was unlike any entrance hall Dannyl had ever seen. Cushioned benched lined the walls of the room. Their bright colours or red, green and gold contrasting boldly with the plain white walls. In the centre of the room several cushions were arranged around a low table.

"We wait here."

The Sachakan made his way over to one of the benches at the side of the room and collapsed onto it.

Dannyl shared a look with Makin and walked over to the benches opposite the Sachakan.

The cushions were as comfortable as they looked and Dannyl sighed in pleasure as he slumped into the softness and comfort. Beside him Makin pushed his back into the cushions trying to find the most comfortable position he could.

"I will never complain about my bed at the Guild again," he murmured, eyes closed, "If we get back that is."

"Sadly there is no getting back until we find out where we actually are."

Balkan dropped onto the bench beside Dannyl, "Any ideas yet?"

Dannyl shook his head.

"Likewise I..."

He was interrupted and a nasal voice echoed from the doorway at the end of the hall, "Samara your audience had been granted, follow me."

The Sachakan stood abruptly and gestured to the Magicians to follow him.

_So that is what his name is. I wonder what else we will find out about our captor now that we are in his domain._

They followed Samara down a wide corridor. It was dark but lighted by the occasional torch hanging from the ceiling. The walls were adorned with tapestries though in the gloom it was hard to see what the depicted. The corridor started to twist and turn taking them through richly furnished room and warm courtyards. They travelled deeper into the building and soon Dannyl lost count of how many corners they had turned.

Eventually they reached a magnificent pair of double doors. Made of polished black wood they stood the height of two men and were edged in what Dannyl could only presume was gold. At the centre of each door was the profile of a man also made in gold.

"Now how much do you think that would fetch at the market?"

Dannyl snorted quietly. The Doors were probably priceless.

The guide gestured for them to wait then thumped on one of the doors with his fist. The door slowly opened and the guide disappeared inside. He quickly reappeared and stood aside to let them through.

"Now this is what I call a room."

Dannyl couldn't have agreed more. The room behind the huge door was enormous. A high domed ceiling reached up to unknown depths of red and deep night blue. The walls were made3 of a white marble as was the floor. To the sides of the room were the same benches they say in the entrance but the cushions were made out of a shimmering golden material. Before the benches were exquisitely made tables covered in scrolls and writing implements. But what truly caught Dannyl's attention was the large golden chair at the top of the room. Intricate patterns wove through the arms and legs of the chair. From what Dannyl could see it was cushioned with a rich red material. In that chair sat a man.

His skin had a golden tone that contrasted with the deep green of his eyes. His hair was black as the night and his expression was one so severe Dannyl felt cut just looking at him. The man sat rigidly in his chair, oozing authority and power.

"My Emperor."

Samara glided forward and threw himself on the ground in front of the man. Dannyl was surprised at Samara's behaviour. He had always acted as the powerful unmovable Sachakan. Seeing him...grovel to this man was humbling. He must be a powerful man indeed.

Then Samara's words registered in Dannyl's mind. He gasped.

This man, this cruel looking man, was the Emperor of Sachaka.

"You have done well Samara. These are the Magicians?"

"Yes Master."

The words brought a shiver up Dannyl's back. It had been so long since he had heard anybody use the word 'master' in that context before.

The Emperor's eyes travelled over the magicians assembled awkwardly before him. For a brief instant those intense eyes rested in Dannyl and he felt as if the man was looking deep into his soul, prying out all his secrets. But then they moved on and Balkan was forced to meet that stare.

The Emperor nodded and a slight smile twisted his lips, "You have also done well Lord Garrel."

Dannyl's heart froze, how did the Emperor know Lord Garrel?

Dannyl spun around to face the magician. He sneered back and moved forwards, towards the Emperor and knelt, "It is my humble duty, as always to serve you."

The magicians looked on in fear and confusion.

"What is the meaning if this?" Balkan's voice boomed, the anger and betrayal heavy in his voice.

The Emperor stared at Balkan as Garrel turned around and smiled slyly at them all.

"The meaning if this _High Lord_ Balkan," even while he was smiling he managed to speak the title with contempt, "is simple. You have been betrayed. You are now a prisoner of the Sachakan Emperor Nikora and without Sonea are utterly helpless."

Balkan gaped at him, "But...why?"

Garrel snorted, "As if you didn't know. I was tired of you're...let's just say 'new rules' taking in Novices from the slums, keeping that wretch of an exiled and her bastards. It was a disgrace and a dishonour on the Guild. But then I realised that I didn't have to accept it. The Guild...the magicians...they meant nothing to me. That why I helped Samara into the Kyralia and Guided him to the Guild. If I could get rid of Sonea by fooling her into saving you then that would mean the Guild was ripe for the picking. I could create a new and better Guild. Where only the pure could learn magic and the poor would serve us. For my help Emperor Nikora has promised to help me with that aim."

Garrel's words hit Dannyl like a storm of boulders. Each was a significant blow painful and lasting.

"Lorkin and Lorena will stop you, they will..."

"They will do what?"Garrel sneered interrupting Makin, "Fight the combined force of the Sachakan Black Magicians? They have barely graduated what could a pair of unskilled wretches do to stop me?"

Makin was silent. The hurt was evident on his face.

The hall was quiet as the stunned magicians took in the new turn of events. Garrel was a traitor. He had betrayed them. He had betrayed Sonea. He had betrayed the Guild.

The silence lasted for an immeasurably long time. Eventually the Emperor broke the silence, "Samara take our 'guests'," he smiled slightly at the word, "to their quarters."

Samara got to his feet and bowed deeply. He then turned and, with a wave of his hand, directed the magicians out through the golden double doors.

Before he passed through the doors Dannyl caught Makin throwing Garrel a last dark glare.

They followed Samara through an endless labyrinth of corridors and rooms. As the travelled on the furnishing became less grand until they reached a narrow staircase and began descending. The more steps they walked down the fouler the smell became and the colder it got. Soon Dannyl was shivering uncontrollably.

They finally reached the bottom. It was dark for no torches were lit this far below the ground. Samara created a globe light and continued down a damp walkway. In the glow of the globe light Dannyl could see doors on each side, heavy metal doors. With his senses Dannyl could detect a magical barrier overcome of the doors. Samara eventually came to a halt before another one of these doors but this time Dannyl sensed an extremely string barrier over the door. A guard was standing beside the door smiling knowingly at the magicians.

"Are these the new ones?" the man asked.

"That they are Herana."

He laughed, "Come on in."

Herana put his hand close to the barrier and it disappeared. He took out a large key and slipped it into the lock. It unlocked with a loud click and the door swung open."

With a cruel laugh Samara pushed the magicians into the black room beyond, as a final farewell Dannyl guessed. The door slammed shut behind them and they heard the lock click.

Someone cursed.

"What are we going to do?" Lady Ella whimpered.

"Now it starts." Murmured Makin somewhere to Dannyl's right.

"What are we going to do?" repeated Ella, beginning to panic.

"Ella calm down we just need to..."

Ella's shriek echoed around the room, cutting off Balkan's soothing, "What are we going to do?"

"There is nothing you can do."

The voice came out of the darkness and filled the room. It was a voice that come out of Dannyl's nightmares and made him remember his old fear. It came out of Dannyl's memories and made him gasp in shock.

"Who was that?" panicked Lady Ella. Dannyl could imagine her acting about in the darkness looking for the voice she didn't recognise.

"That voice sounds oddly familiar. I think...I think..."

But Balkan couldn't continue.

"Perhaps we need some light." suggested Makin.

To his right Dannyl saw a little spark which quickly grew into a flame. It disappeared for a moment then suddenly a large beam of light spread to the far end of the room as Makin opened the shutter on the lamp.

"Impossible." He heard Balkan mutter.


	12. Disaster

Disaster

The ground people walk on, day in and day out, people take for granted. It is just the ground; the same clump of dirt that has been there for years and years, too many for anyone to even try and guess. It is the impossibly hard surface that jars your bones when you fall, the rocky surface that wears your boot and blisters your feet, the muddy surface that absorbs the blood of the dead and leaves them grinning skeletons, forever unrecognisable, forever dead.

What people don't realise is the ground is the world's book, The Keeper, the Duna tribes call it. In its folds the earth keeps its secrets, in its creases the earth keeps its pain and on its plain hard roads and landscaped the earth keeps its memories.

When people grieve, are left alone or bereaved they wish to remember, the happy times, the sad times. They go to favourite spots, they go to old clothes, they go to family, all to remember. Nobody ever asks the earth to give up her secrets, to give up her memories, to give up her story. For the earth does remember, every boot that has ever trodden on any road she remembers.

But of course people don't believe in foolish tales, only the old and the wise never forget what the earth did, what she does, what she will do.

To their utter relief they came across the South Pass shortly after noon. Two days of excruciating riding had left then saddle sore and weary.

"So we just follow the path and...we are into Sachaka?" Lorkin asked, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Lorena nodded. She could understand Lorkin's bemusement. Entry into Sachaka seemed to be easy, a little too easy.

"Maybe we should have stuck to the North Pass, I don't trust this place." Lorkin continued. He glanced at the trees lining the road then back at her. Lorena could see in his face that he understood why she had chosen this route. The magician's at The Fort would have seen Lorkin and warned Osen.

_Not that Osen doesn't already know where Lorkin is._

The higher had been calling Lorkin back for two days now. They had found out he was missing shortly after he had caught up with Lorena on the road.

"We should leave the horses, we can't care for even one when we are in the wastes, they will be a hindrance." Lorena said.

Lorkin grinned at her, "Now I am not even sorry to hear those words." He rubbed his rear and winced delicately, "Damn saddle."

Lorena laughed and turned to her horse. Taking the saddle and reigns off, she hit the horse on the rump and tried to guide it in the direction of home. She had heard somewhere that horses were able to find their way back to what they thought was home.

_Probably a lie._

The horse just looked at her wearily then walked to the side of the road and began to eat the thin grass growing there.

Lorena shrugged and dumped her saddle and reigns beside a tree. They would be too heavy to carry.

She lifted her pack off the road and hefted the weight up onto her shoulders. It took her a

while to balance it comfortably on her shoulders but she eventually managed it.

Lorkin stood in the middle of the road gazing into the distance. At what, Lorena didn't know. All she could see was trees and rock.

"Ready?" she asked.

Lorkin shook himself and turned his head to look at her, "Ready as I will ever be."

Before he began to march down the road Lorena saw a brief...spark flash in his eye. She didn't recognise it at first but then it slowly dawned on her. Lorkin was afraid.

As they walked she looked at her emotions. She was excited, that was for sure. Finally an excuse to get out of the Guild and see the world. Even if it was only Sachaka. There was a strange tightening in her stomach, could that be nervousness? No she should not feel nervous; he father wouldn't have felt nervous or unsure in a situation like this. He would have stridden out faced whatever he had to face. But her conscience new otherwise.

_I guess not even the best heroes are fearless. _

She had once overheard her mother and Takan talking when she was just a novice. It was on the anniversary of the Ichani Rising, the anniversary of her father's death.

"...it was a hard time for him."

"It must have been." Her mother. Although Lorena could not see her she could hear the oain in her voice. It was amazing to think that someone so...brave, someone so enduring, could be so breakable. She had heard it before; Sonea had never been the same after Akkarin's death.

"He used to dream every time he slept, which wasn't often He would dream and wake up. I...could see his hate for the place...his...fear."

She whispered the last word as if not quite believing it herself.

"Sonea." It was Takan, using that placating tone he usually reserved for when Lorena or Lorkin, especially Lorena, were angry or upset. "Akkarin was still a man like any other. He had every right to fear Sachaka. What he witnessed there...and not even a man of the country...was terrible. The stuff of nightmares."

Lorena had dismissed Takan's words. Her father...just a man? He was a hero. He had saved Imardin.

But now Lorena was beginning to understand that warriors are not always fearless. To go willingly to one's death, which was what she and Lorkin were doing now for Sachaka did not welcome magicians, especially those linked to Sonea and Akkarin, was insanity.

_But sometimes we have to do things that don't make sense to do what is right. If it wasn't that way mother would never have followed father into Sachaka._

"You are musing again."

Lorena looked across at Lorkin and grinned slyly, "How do you know I'm musing I could be dreaming up coincidental meeting with my love."

Lorkin snorted, "You don't have 'a love' Lorena. No man at the University has ever caught your attention..."

"Which is more than I can say about you." She interrupted laughing at the knowing look on his face.

"Alas this is what I am to be subjected to on our journey north. Instead of roaming around with _fine _ company like you I could be in the sweet arms of my dear Maren, or is it Lania?"

Lorena's sides were sore with laughter. They walked on joking and laughing. They didn't take in the slowly diminishing greenery and the rapidly increasing rock. It was only when the saw that eternal view, that deadly view that their last laugh died and a solemn moment was created and stored forever in their hearts.

The wastes of Sachaka were a blood red form the setting sun. Hills and cliffs stood out in sharp contrast, like knife blades waiting for the kill or giants'' bones in the graveyard of the world.

At last the full importance and danger if their journey settled over them. They were in Sachaka now.

Slowly and quietly they continued alone the winding path, the bloody landscape always on their left.

_I believe I just saw yet another rock._

Lorkin and Lorena had been travelling for most of the night. Their mother, during her arduous lessons on Black Magic had told them that she and Akkarin had travelled in the dark through Sachaka. It was safer.

_If you could truly ever be safe in Sachaka._

Strangely the darkness had a warm feel to it. It caressed his face and surrounded Lorena and him in a black sphere, no one could see them, no one could harm them. That was until the moon, the traitor, rose above the distant hills and shone its betraying eye on the two lonely magicians. It shone on them, highlighting Lorena's small stature, making her face paler then white, accentuating Lorkin's thin frame, making his face dark and harsh. Unfortunately the moon's light, seen as having a magic of its own, shone through the twins' souls. There it pried and poked in every crevice drawing out hopes and fears, secrets and lies, despairs and griefs.

No longer safe in the darkness they crept to the high wall of the cliff and hid in the shadows. They were too late.

"We're not safe as we were on the path here." Whispered Lorena.

"We can't go anywhere else. We are as exposed up there as we are down here, if not more so. I say keep to the shadows."

Lorena's forehead creased. It saddened Lorkin to see Lorena's usually comic concentration face be used on such dark decisions.

"If we were up there," she said looking up the cliff above, "instead of down here there would be less chance of us getting ambushed and killed."

They were too late.

As the words crossed Lorena's lips. Those wise words, those late words a bow twanged and with a whoosh an arrow thudded into Lorkin's side.

His air was gone. His mind...blank. There was only the pain. A great stabbing beneath his ribs. Each shudder that rippled through him was followed by that searing hot wave of pain. He cried out a grabbed the arrow. Pain.

The ground came rushing up to him but he fell gently. Warms bands surrounded him. Lorena.

A voice was shouting in the distance. Lorena's arms tightened around him.

"Lorkin?" she whispered.

Lorkin opened his eyes and saw his sister's worried face above him.

"Lorkin just..."

"No Lorena listen." It was taking too much effort to talk; he was losing energy, losing life.

"Lorena...you have to keep going."

Her eyes opened in surprise then she shook her head, "No, I'm not leaving you."

Lorkin closed his eyes and mustered the last of his strength, "You have to go...someone...needs to...save the...magicians."

She was silent, then her voice came out of his darkness, bitter and vehement, "I will not sacrifice you for anyone Lorkin you are my brother."

"And that is why...you...must do as...I tell you. M...mother would have...wanted you to do it. Just...just like she did.... Save...the magicians..."

Lorena's arms shook around him.

"I...can't." she whispered.

"You have to."

Her arms tightened around him, then they were gone. As he slipped into darkness he heard his sister's familiar footsteps hurry away...for the last time.

The Sun. A symbol of joy, of happiness, of spending days lying and relaxing. Opposite to its sister the moon the Sun had no pureness or darkness; it wasn't a traitor or a watcher. It was a child, warm sunny and happy. Flowers rejoiced at its coming, Novices smiled at its warmth, the earth greeted it with warm comforting arms.

To Lorena the sun glared and blinded her. How could anyone find its irritating light joyful? Was there anything left in this world to be truly joyful about?

She leant back against the wall of the cave she was sheltering in and closed her eyes. The pain was unbearable. Her mother was dead, her father was dead, and her brother was dead. She was alone. She was dead.

The image of Lorkin's pain filled face was hard to erase, not that she wanted to erase it.

_I'm truly alone now. _

Without her asking a tear slipped from beneath her eyelid and ran down her face.

She wondered what she would do.

_I guess I better continue our mission. Meet the man, find out what the emperor wants, save the magicians yada yada ya. Then what? Go home victorious...I think not!_

She forced that thought away and concentrated on what she had to do. Thinking about the future was dangerous.

_Follow the plan. Do what Lorkin wanted me to do. _

Slowly, bracing herself for the pain of the sun's infuriating glare Lorena opened her eyes but it wasn't the light that brought the tears to her eyes. It was a dark form sitting on the steep hang over the cliff. It was a person, their back towards her, form dark from the sun's direction just ahead of them.

Her hopes rose.

"Lorkin?" she asked rising and stumbling out of the cave.

The figure twisted around and they too slowly got up.

Her hopes drowned in her own sea of misery. It wasn't Lorkin. A foolish hope perhaps but a hope nonetheless. She fell to her knees.

The figure walked gracefully towards her, obviously well accustomed to the rough surface of the cliff top. As they got closer Lorena saw it was a man, tall well built and, thankfully, unarmed. Not that he would have been able to do her any harm if he had been armed but it was an instinct instilled by her mother, "Do not harm non-magicians."

The man approached her slowly and when he was no more than two paces away he crouched down and looked closely at her face. His eyes were a deep emerald green, like the fields outside Imardin during the summer months. She felt just by staring into those she could go home where she belonged.

"I am sorry about your brother." He murmured.

Lorena blinked in surprise, "How did you know..."

His face split into a large smile, "There is not one magician in the whole of Sachaka that does not know who you are, Lorena Akkarin's daughter."

Her breath caught. No one in all her life had ever called her that, she felt a small glow of pride.

But then meaning of his words became clear.

Lorena stood and backed away, the man frowned.

"You are a magician?" she asked, crouching slightly, waiting for him to throw the first strike after his discovery.

He frowned then suddenly chuckled, "I don't think there is any way to survive out here without magic."

He didn't attack.

Standing up the man took a step forward then thought better of it. "I will not harm you Lorena I am here to help you."

She scowled at him and strengthened her shield, "Prove it."

The man clicked his tongue and sighed, "How can I prove it to you."

Lorena thought quickly. The man wouldn't be here to help her if he didn't know the situation. He was there when Lorkin and her had entered the wastes, was it good timing? How did he know they were coming? Maybe he had waited and hoped another magician would come after Sonea had been killed. Lorena froze. Maybe _he _had killed Sonea and now wanted to kill her. But he could have killed her anytime during the night why show himself now.

_Maybe he intends to kill me later...but what would he gain from that?_

She decided to see if he would tell her anything he knew. If he didn't want to help her he wouldn't answer her questions.

"Why does the Sachakan King want the magicians?"

The man's eyebrow rose and he stared at Lorena in confusion, "You have a strange way of discovering the truth Kyralian." He took a breath and stared directly into her eyes, "The Emperor wants you."

Lorena's eyes widened in surprise, "Me!" she exclaimed.

He nodded, "You, your mother, your brother. You all stand in the way of Kyralia and the Guild. Your mother and brother are gone. You are now the only thing that stands in the way of his gain."

The Lorena stood shocked, the Kyralian Emperor wanted Kyralia, just like the Ichani wanted Kyralia twenty years before.

"Then why did he kidnap the magicians and not us?"

The man chuckled quietly, "There is no magician that could strengthen himself to capture and hold three fully trained Black Magicians of the Magician's Guild." He shook his head, "Impossible. The magicians were used to draw you out, bring you to Sachaka. They were the bait."

Lorena frowned, "Then why send someone to kidnap L...," she took a deep breath, "Lorkin?"

The man shrugged, "Punishment. A doomed mission no doubt."

Lorena nodded. The man's answers had been willing enough and from what she could see he had answered truthfully. But why help her?"

"I do not want to die fighting a war that has already been fought...and lost. The people of both our countries do not deserve to suffer as their ancestors have done in the past."

Lorena's eyes bored into him. Two deep dark pits in the pale landscape of her face. If he wasn't careful he could get lost.

Lorena nodded once, "So you are choosing to help me to avoid a war between our countries?"

"I only think of what is best for my people."

Lorena smiled, "And I thought it was out of the goodness of your heart."

The man laughed, "I was once told there is no such thing as a selfless act."

Lorena's smile grew wider, "Well if there is no such thing as a selfish act them let me be completely selfish and ask for a little information."

"And what would that be?"

Lorena's smile turned sly, "You're name."

His face lit up and he laughed all the harder, "Nikora, my name is Nikora."


	13. Impossible

Impossible

The passing of time changes people in so many ways. Physically they grow, form an infant into a child, from a child to an adolescent, form an adolescent to an adult, an adult to the elderly. Emotionally it is safe to say that the desire for sweet things doesn't change. But with time comes experience. War, pain and death can be etched into the face of any person walking down the street. In their eyes you see the long years, their suffering, their happiness. Time is the turning wheel for all who live their life it only stops for them once...when their dead.

For her the darkness was a haven. No more cares, no more demands, no more worries. In the darkness one could remember without pain the happier times. The times when a pair of dark eyes bore into yours or were softened in love. Where one moment a pair of large hands are grabbing you head and in another they are caressing your face and loving you. But the strongest memory is his face. Strong, harsh and cold. But it was a face to love.

_It seems all these years I have never stopped loving you, even though we were together so briefly. _

Brief or not she would have done anything for him.

She opened her eyes and saw only darkness. Water trickled down a wall somewhere, voices murmured beneath the floor she lay on.

She shifted around quietly hoping not to alert the guard outside her door that she was awake. Her neck creaked and her muscled screamed in protest. The Sachakan's had given her one of the worst beatings she had ever experienced and without magic it was going to take a while to get over.

Outside the door she heard a low voice, whispering so as not to be heard. A reply then the door silently opened. Light spilled into the room.

"I hope you like your new accommodations Sonea."

Sonea glared at her guide and didn't speak. Instead she concentrated on forcing one foot in front of the other, a difficult task with her weary muscles and the thick manacles around her ankles. She wished she was back in the darkness, dreaming of him, Akkarin.

They travelled along bare corridors the Sachakan chatting sarcastically, poking and jabbing her with his words. It was a long time before they reached the stairs.

Sonea paused at the top as the man descended. She could smell it. The stench of decay, of human waste, of death. These were the dungeons the men had spoken of on her way to Arvice. It reminded her of the time she had been brought through the secret passages in the university to see Cery when he was Fergun's hostage. She didn't want to go down there.

The man appeared at the top again and grinned evilly at her. "Scared are we oh great Sonea?"

He raised his brows suggestively.

She frowned at him. "No, I was just admiring the awful stonework; it seems that the building of walls is beyond the Sachakan people's skills." She nodded to the crumbling wall to her right and marched past him into the darkness of the dungeons with as much pride as she could muster.

As she descended the Sachakan pushed into her back, no doubt angry at her words.

They eventually reached to dank, dark hallway at the bottom and Sonea's guide pushed past her and led the way. There were doors on each side. Sonea detected magical barriers. Her guide eventually stopped at a door and removed the barrier. Without a word he wrenched the door open and angrily pushed her into the darkness, the door slammed with a deafening clang behind her.

Sonea cursed, there was going to be no way out of here.

"Oh no, no, no. That's it now, because you stole the light they have sent someone in to kill us. Oh no, oh no oh n..." wailed a voice.

"Would you be quiet! They let us keep the damn lamp." Growled another.

Sonea had heard that voice before. She laughed as a number of voices joined the first. It seemed she had partly completed the mission without any effort on her part.

"Wait a moment. Why are you laughing?" asked the first voice.

"It seems you temper has finally worn thin Makin."

Someone gasped. "Sonea?"

She laughed again, "The one and only."

"But...but we thought you were dead." Was that Balkan?

"Ugh...give me the lamp. Where did it go?"

Sonea heard footsteps shuffling around, a silent thud and a moan of pain.

"That was my foot you idiot!"

Sonea covered her mouth, there was no point making enemies in the dark.

"Ahhh here it is."

The scrape of metal on the stone floor sounded and the suddenly a beam of light brightened the cell, glaring straight into her eyes.

"It _is_ you!"

The beam of light flashed towards the wall in front of her, flashing over a figure leaning against the wall, dark eyes boring straight into hers.

She gasped.

It couldn't be.

_I must have finally gone mad._

Her knees trembled, her hands shook and her breathing seemed to be the only sound in the large cell.

He stood up and walked slowly towards her. He stepped close, closer than anybody had stood to her in twenty years. Sonea stared at his face, drinking in those features she had hoped never to forget. There were lines around his eyed that hadn't been there before. His face was still pale in the darkness, thin but still handsome. There was grey in his now short hair.

He reached out and rubbed a tear that was running down her face. She shuddered at his touch.

He smiled at her, that half smile that she remembered so well.

"I have missed you Sonea."

His deep voice sent a wave of warmth towards her, he was here.

She twined her arms around his neck and he held her close. In each other's embrace they were comforted; they shared the grief of long separation.

Through her tears Sonea whispered, "And I have missed you...Akkarin."


	14. The Objective

The Objective

Looking at the endless blue sky above Lorena felt miniscule, inconsequential in the world. Spending her life in the city had done nothing for her. She saw the same buildings, the same roads, the same people. But out here, wandering in the wild wastes of Sachaka she saw nothing but the wild beauty of a country so ancient and fierce it was feared and avoided by all.

For the last five days Lorena had travelled over the blade like hills, crossed the baking plains and fought with the exhaustion of travel and the deaths of her loved ones. It hadn't been easy but in the mysterious land she had felt strangely at home. More than she ever had in Imardin. The uncivilised quality of the land seemed to suite her; her restlessness, her anger, her battle lust.

Yet staring up at that sky, the pureness of the sapphire eased her soul and showed a surprising peacefulness to brooding, feared warrior.

"What could possibly be so interesting about the sky may I ask?"

Lorena turned her head and saw a pair a leather booted feet. The material was worn and creased, an indication of extensive travel over rough and difficult terrain.

Looking up she smiled at the smooth dark face above her.

"I've never seen a sky so blue."

Nikora frowned, "You are looking at the colour of the sky?"

His confusion made Lorena laugh. "Why don't you come down here and see?"

He shrugged and lowered himself to the ground. With a sigh he spread himself out beside her looked up.

"I don't see anything different."

_Anything different? It's beautiful!_

"But...it is so blue...like a deep...pure blue. Do you not see?"

Nikora shook his head. "I have seen the same sky for the whole twenty five years of my life."

Lorena's heart clutched in dismay. Lying here she realised how much she had missed cooped up in the Guild. And now, if she eventually managed to free the magicians, she would have to return to the boredom and prison of city life. The lying, the backstabbing, the falseness. Once a game she would whole heartedly play with Lorkin now seemed a chore that she dreaded.

With a jolt of surprise she found she did not want to leave Sachaka. No matter what history it had with Kyralia and her parentage.

"You see...my whole life...I lived looking up at buildings, of course the sky was there, it is always there. But in Imardin the buildings are so tall, they block out the sky, block out the beauty. I never realised."

Nikora's eyebrows shot up. He turned his head to look at her and she saw the disbelief and shock in his startling green eyes. He whistled.

"Really? How...how could you stand it.?"

Lorena shrugged, "I didn't know any better."

"In Sachaka...we believe that the sky is the window to the soul of the earth. The sky weeps when the earth is hurt, the sky throws its storms at us when the earth is angry, the sky beams when the earth is happy."

_The soul of the earth._

"You believe that?"

Nikora smiled crookedly, "Of course. Don't you?"

Hesitatingly Lorena said, "Well...it is a little like a fairy tale is it not?"

Nikora laughed, "So Lorena of Delvon I find that you have never seen a true blue sky and you are a cynic, whatever next?"

Lorena blushed, "Don't..."

Nikora shook with laughter, "So my cynic friend our journey is almost complete."

Lorena gasped, "We are close to Arvice?"

After she had interrogated Nikora to determine his trustworthiness they had discussed what they would do next. Nikora had determined that the magicians would have been imprisoned by the Emperor; they had been taken by him. She wondered how he knew so much about what had happened but he wasn't forth coming with the information.

"Where would the Emperor keep them?" she had asked.

Nikora had looked away. From what she knew now a sign that the next snippet of news was not good.

"He would keep them in The Dungeons."

"The dungeons?"

"Yes, under the palace. It is where all of the enemy's of the empire, where the most powerful magical enemies of the emperor and where those doomed to death are held."

"Doomed to death! He wouldn't kill them would he?"

"He has no use for them."

Lorena had frozen, shocked by the new twist in her journey. Lorkin dead and now this.

"We definitely have to save them."

Nikora chuckled quietly, "From the Emperor?"

Lorena nodded, "From the Emperor."

Smiling Nikora said, "You do realise that is impossible."

"I will do anything that it takes." She said, determination building.

Nikora had stared at her, stared into her his face unusually grim. He inclined his head once seemingly satisfied with what he saw. "To The Dungeons then!" he said, a grin lighting his face once more like a ray of pure brilliant sun through he gap in a grey cloud.

Lorena laughed, "To The Dungeons."

Coming back to the present Lorena found Nikora regarding her warily.

"Where did you go there?"

She shook her head, "Nowhere. You were saying?"

He gave her one last confused glance, "I was saying that Arvice is just a half days journey away."

It was Lorena's turn to whistle, "Half a day?"

He nodded in assent.

"So tonight we break into the Emperor's Dungeons?"

"If you want."

Lorena stared at him, "As if I have a choice."

"But you do."

He said it so softly she barely heard him. He was looking up at the sky again. To Lorena his eyes seemed white and emotionless, but it was only the sky. Or so she wanted to believe.

"Nikora...I have to save them. It is my job. My duty. From the moment the Guild knew of my existence in my mother's womb it has been my destiny to be the Black Magician, the one to save the magicians." She explained, sorrow weighing down every word, weighing down her chest. Making it hard for her to breathe. She was a prisoner.

Nikora turned on his side to face her, "You could run you know and leave it all behind. You are in Sachaka now, the Guild can do nothing."

Although she shook her head denying this her whole body burned with the desire to do what he said she could do. To leave it all behind. But then the great cooling tide of shame sweeped her desire away. Her mother and father would never have thought of leaving the magicians behind.

"You could return to Kyralia and live in secret if you wished, you could..."

"No!" she shouted, sitting up, "why are you telling me this?"

He sat up, and his eyes were fiery, "Why are you acting like you have no choice in your life? You live, you serve, you die is that it?"

Lorena gaped at him, "But I...I can't just leave them."

Nikora snorted and looked filthily at the ground, "What have these magicians ever done for you Lorena except imprison you and use you?"

He was right, she knew it but it was wrong to turn your back when someone needed your help.

"My friend he is among the Magicians, I cannot let him die."

Nikora's head jerked up and he stared at her. His face creased into a scowl, "So that is why you are saving them, you want to save your lover."

Lorena shuddered. Even the thought of her and Makin as a...couple was wrong. He was her closest friend after all it would be strange.

"It is not like that."

"Then what is it?"

Lorena looked around her. At the sharp hills. At the dusty earth. At the looming cliffs behind them. At anything but Nikora.

"You see, you have no excuse."

A sudden rage fired up in her body. How dare he talk to her like this?

"I cannot leave them behind. It is wrong. My father would turn in his grave if he knew I had even thought of turning my back on those he died saving. But why would you care are not all Kyralian's the same murdering bastards the rest of you seem to think?" She shouted.

"I do not see a murdering bastard in you Lorena I see a bastard that regardless of her potential is being slaved to a group of selfish idiots. If your father knew what had happened to his lover and his children he would die of shame that the fight that he tried so hard to win had resulted in the death of his family free people!" he roared back, his temper no less fiery.

"Well isn't it just good that my father isn't alive to see." She said sarcastically.

Nikora froze his temper gone. He looked into her eyes, green against black, and said, "Lorena...Akkarin isn't dead."

"If I died at this moment it would be a small mercy."

The light in the hall was blinding him, his senses were heightened to a point of pain and his side was in agony. Lorkin had definitely felt better.

The sound of distant footsteps deafened him out of his reverie and his twisted his eyes to the side in an attempt to see who had made his nightmare just that little bit worse.

"I think it is time to see our legendary prisoner in, don't you think Lord Garrel."

"Yes, your majesty." Replied the smooth voice Lorkin had hoped he would never have to hear again.

"Hana!" Barked the first voice.

Another pair of feet echoed through the chamber scuffling along the marble floor.

"Yes Master?"

"Bring the new prisoner in, quickly!"

"Of course Master."

The feet scuffled away again. The first pair started to move, towards the chamber.

"It seems my plan is coming together well. We have Sonea and now we have her bastard. There is only her daughter left?"

"Yes your Majesty."

"Excellent."

The voices were right beneath him.

_Why is Lord Garrel conversing with the Emperor? _A sudden though occurred, _they sound like they have dealt with each other before._

The pair were now silent.

Soon the sound of many scuffling feet echoed around the chamber.

Lorkin heard the dull thud of flesh being thrown on the ground then heard Hana whisper, "I am sorry master but she would not come alone."

He heard the Emperor growl, "You can do nothing. Send them in!"

Hana whimpered and scuttled out.

Lorkin hung and listened to the footsteps coming ever closer. He knew when they had entered the room.

"Lorkin!" An oddly familiar voice screamed.

Lorkin's eyes flew open. Hi mother stood in the doorway.

The sight of Lorkin hanging by his feet to a chain in the roof froze Sonea's heart. His thin face was white as the marble around him his shirt was gone. A cascade of dried blood caked his skin from a wound in his side.

She ran forward without thinking and was rewarded with a stun strike to the stomach. Sonea doubled over gasping.

"Don't you dare harm her!" She could hear Akkarin hurrying to her side.

"Unfortunately you have no saw in the matter." Drawled an accented voice.

Another Stun strike hit Sonea.

She felt Akkarin's arms around her. "Please don't feel it Sonea. Please."

Sonea shook her head. It was not the stun strikes that were hurting her..."Lorkin." she whispered.

The darkness pressed in on them all. It was guarding, it was depressing, it was suffocating. The metal of the manacles around his arms and legs was digging into his skin, chaffing it bloody.

"Lorkin?"

He couldn't reply for he was in too much pain.

"Lorkin?!"

Sonea was beginning to panic.

Lorkin grunted lifting his head slightly but it was useless; he couldn't see anything.

"Are you well? I saw your wound? How did it happen? How bad...?"

"Sonea stop. You will overwhelm him." Chided a deep voice.

Lorkin frowned. He strained his eyes but he still couldn't see anything.

"Who was that?" he asked softly, but nobody heard him.

"I can't he could be seriously hurt. I want to help him but...I can't."

Lorkin could hear the frustration in his mother's voice and smiled. Just a situation like this would infuriate his mother.

"I am fine mother...I...it...it was just an arrow."

"An arrow, what do you mean an arrow?"

Lorkin sighed, "It was nothing."

"An arrow isn't nothing. This is serious Lorkin..."

"You didn't tell me you had a son Sonea." The deep voice interrupted.

Sonea was silent.

Lorkin wondered what it was too him that his mother had a son.

As he opened his mouth to say his mother said, "It is not what you think. How could I...I never could..."

"Sonea I am not angry at you. It is understandable that you should marry...that you should have children. You were so young when...when..."

"I did not marry! How could I! I had lost you! I could never marry again because no other man that offered was you. I loved you! I still do! My feelings will never change!"

In confusion the voice said, "Then..."

"Akkarin..." Sonea interrupted, "Lorkin is _your_ son!"


	15. Hurtful Truths, Hopeful Dreams

Hurtful truths, hopeful dreams

We lie alone and dream. Colourful dreams of castles floating in the sky, of flying horses and lands of sweets. We grow and see the person of our dreams behind our eyelids, leaning in for that first kiss; the brush of soft lips, the warmth, the love. Our dreams change and we see dimpled babes, large mansions and endless days of joy and laughter. It never ends, even when the time comes where our dreams are of times gone by. The picnics in the grass, flying through the air in our father's arms, feeling the tender weight of our first born. We dream and imagine, want and need, and are so often disappointed. Only one word, pure and true tips the balance, turns our dreams to nightmares and makes everyday a hell which we can't escape. The truth hurts no matter how clear the conscience becomes. Beware those who revel in our pain, they are to be watched.

_No, it was impossible. For years he was thought to have been dead. Sonea saw the knife...he cannot be alive. Akkarin cannot be alive. My father cannot be alive. _

Thoughts whirled around Lorena's head. For hours she had sat on the same patch of hard, dusty ground as the sky above her first darkened to an even purer blue and later to a deep pink tinged with the hatefully golden tinge of sun. It was twilight now, the sky a dusty grey blue as if all of Lorena's sorrow was bleeding into it and permeating it the grim and joyless colours that were the landscape of her mind.

Nikora's words had felt like a slap across the cheek, a punch in the gut. She had screamed and shouted, demanding an excuse, accusing him of lying, cursing him. But Nikora, as she found out, was a patient man. Refusing to answer her he moved to an overhanging rock and sat in the shade; watching her.

Lorena remembered the frankness with which Nikora told her. There was no slyness in his voice, no malice in his eyes, no mocking in his stance. He was telling the truth.

_But it is impossible!_

The light pad of footsteps drew her gaze up. Nikora stood in front of her, his figure nothing but a silhouette in the fading light.

"It is getting dark now; I think we should be moving one. To wait anywhere is increasing a chance one of the Emperor's men will find us."

Lorena stared at him incredulously. She was too weak, the shock to great. But she could see in his body language; the way he balanced his body weight on one leg and how he crossed his arms across his chest that Nikora's suggestion brooked no argument.

Lorena shook her head weakly and pushed herself slowly off the ground. She stood level with Nikora's eyes, which glitter slightly. He nodded once and slipped something into her hand; a piece of stale bread from her pack.

Nikora, leaving her to chew silently on the bread, strode back to the overhand and hefted her heavy pack on to his back. She heard him grunt and mutter as he tried to balance the beast between his shoulders.

Finally satisfied he pointed his arm northwards and began to walk. Grateful the she didn't have to carry the dead weight of the pack Lorena followed along at a distance. Her mind was still whirling.

There was a strange feeling in her chest. It had built up and built up as she thought of her father. He was alive. He was a prisoner. He was alive and her mother had never known.

Lorena could see her mother's face on the anniversary of the Invasion or keeling by Akkarin's grave, silent tears rolling down her face. She could even hear her mother's pleas in her sleep. She begged Akkarin to return. Despaired that she could do nothing. All through her childhood Lorena saw these things, heard her mother's grief yet she never told her, never comforted her.

_She never wanted comfort. Mother always seems so strong, like a mountain. When she woke up I could see it in her eyes that the last thing she wanted was sympathy. I guessed she blamed herself for Akkarin's death. If only she had known he was alive._

That was it. What Lorena felt was guilt. She was alive her mother and brother dead. She alone knew Akkarin was alive.

_Then I am going to do something with this information. I will save him. But where is he?_

_With the Emperor._

The answer came unbidden but with a surety that couldn't be ignored. The Sachakan King...Emperor...wanted power so why not have the most powerful magician in the history of the Guild his source?

So deep was Lorena in thought that she didn't notice the faint footsteps behind her. Didn't notice the creeping shadow behind her. Didn't notice the malice and cunning that perfused the air. She walked...walked past the high cliff wall to her left...a large hand grabbed her arm...she was pulled towards the cliff face...and through it.

Lorena tried to cry out but another hand swiftly covered her mouth, muffling her shrieks and protest. She was dragged roughly to the back of what seemed to be a cave and was forced to kneel. Her captor let go of her mouth and forced both her arm painfully behind her back.

Lorena struggled and shouted, hoping Nikora would hear. It was dark in the cave but this time Lorena heard the footsteps coming towards her. She squinted and flinched as a globe light flared into life above the head of a familiar figure before her.

It seemed to Sonea that both her love and her son had fallen into quite a state of shock. Silence, along with fear, seemed to be her only companions in the cell. She worried in what way Akkarin would react the news he had a son. He didn't even know about Lorena yet! She wondered how Lorkin would react to the sudden reappearance of his father. Would he be angry that Akkarin had been alive the whole time? She feared most of all how they would react to her...she had born Lorkin...she had loved Akkarin. The fact that she couldn't see any of their faces to gauge their expressions did little to allay Sonea's fears.

Her heart contracted as noise filled the cell.

_Here it comes..._

But what she thought would be the beginnings of an epic battle of the voices turned out to be, surprisingly, chuckling from the direction Akkarin's voice had come from before.

"Akkarin...?" she began nervously.

His chuckling subsided, "Do you know all the time I have been hear I have done nothing but think of you?"

Sonea shook her head but realising that, in the darkness, Akkarin couldn't see her she whispered out hoarsely, "No."

He sighed in amusement, "I have. I dreamed of what would have happened if I had not been caught. I imagined I would have married you, I had wanted to. I imagined us living in the Guild, as black magicians of course but...together. I even imagined if we would have children.... Little did I realise that, while I dreamed and wished, you were doing it. You were having a child, my child, and rearing him."

Out of the darkness Lorkin spoke, "If it helps...I'm a twin."

Akkarin was silent.

"You are fooling me...aren't you?" he asked eventually.

"No."

Akkarin gasped in surprise, "I...I...I have...two children?"

Sonea was biting her lip. Sometimes she had wondered what Akkarin would have thought to the idea of children. Would he have liked the idea? Hated Lorkin and Lorena? Would he have been a good father?

"Yes Akkarin," Sonea replied, "I...I gave birth to twins. I didn't know at the time but..." she smiled ruefully, "I guess we found out when I was giving birth. It was quite a surprise."

He Akkarin chuckled weakly seemingly in shock.

"I can't believe this. I have a son and a...?"

"A daughter...Lorena."

"Lorkin and Lorena." Akkarin murmured. Was that a little awe in his voice?

"Oh no...Lorena!"

Sonea jumped at her son's panicked voice, "What Lorkin, what about Lorena?"

"She...she thinks I'm dead...she...she...oh shit...she is coming here on her own to complete the mission."

Sonea froze, fear for her daughter eroding every thought out of her mind.

"But the Guild wouldn't let her come after what...what happened to you. I mean...they weren't foolish enough to send you together?"

Lorkin's silence said it all.

"Oh no how could they do this? How could they...?"

"Mother."

Sonea didn't seem to hear him.

"Mother!"

Sonea pulled out of her despair and, breathing deeply, asked, "What Lorkin?"

"The Guild didn't exactly send Lorena and me together. Lorena volunteered to go and I...in a way...followed her."

"YOU WHAT?"

"I know I shouldn't have but...I...just couldn't let her go alone and I...didn't want to be left behind."

"I can't believe you did that." Sonea growled. "But Lorena is smart enough to turn back. She has to turn back."

Sonea could practically hear Lorkin gulp nervously, "Mother, which of us is more like...father?"

Sonea frowned, wondering what Lorkin was trying to say.

"You both are."

Lorkin sighed in exasperation, "No, who is really like him?"

If she had to choose between them both, if she really had to choose it would have to be...

"Lorena."

"What would you do?"

"What do you mean what would I do? I told you I would go back to the Guild." Sonea snapped.

"I wasn't asking you."

"I would continue," Akkarin replied smoothly, "Whatever the mission was."

"You see mother, Lorena will continue. You know she has always tried to be like father. She doesn't even have to try. Truly Lorena is her father's daughter."

"Lorkin...don't."

"I'm not saying anything bad; it means I am more like you."

"So I take it being like me is a bad thing then?" Akkarin asked dryly.

Lorkin laughed, "I would never say that!"

"So I take it Lorena is going to come here and...Save the others," Akkarin said, "could I ask how does she intend to do that?"

Sonea sighed; this was something else she needed to tell Akkarin.

"Do you know why we are all in this cell together Akkarin?" she asked.

"From my recent findings I assuming they have realised our familial connections."

Sonea nodded to herself, "There is that but also...umm...Akkarin...this room is full of black magicians."

"You mean to say..."

"Yes. Part of the contract that allowed me to stay in the Guild was that my two children were to contribute to the defence of the Guild, meaning they were to learn Black Magic. 'Keep it in the family' was how Balkan described it. I had no other choice, I had just had Lorkin and Lorena and I couldn't let them grow up in a society like Sachaka. So...when they were second year novices...I taught them both Black Magic and, with the help of your book, have been training them ever since."

Akkarin remained silent for so long that Sonea feared what, when he eventually spoke, he would say.

It was a while before, with a hopeless sigh, he said, "I understand what you mean Sonea. I guess the Guild was predictable there, punish you and gain two more protectors but the truth is...not even Black Magic will give Lorena an advantage in this situation."

Sonea gasped, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the Sachakan Magicians are more cunning that I initially thought. I was so focussed on Kariko and his plans that I failed to see that the invasion, the Ichani, were just a decoy. The Emperor knew well enough what Kariko's plans were and he, inadvertently, used the invasion as a means to gauge the Guild's strength. He found we were weaker than he thought we were. But...he also used the invasion to...take me...to collect me. The Sachakan Emperor has an unquenchable desire for power. Magical power, political power, physical power. He sends his men to gather the strongest magicians, sends his assassins to kill the strongest people who speak against him and trains to become the best."

Stunned, Sonea could barely whisper, "Is that why you are here now...?"

"It is why we are all here." Sonea could hear the pain in his voice, "Sonea do you remember when...after we left Lorlen's office, I told you to go ahead to the Entrance Hall, Then I would follow you?"

"Yes."

"I never actually managed to follow you. I...I stayed in Lorlen's office to destroy the ring, his ring. When I left I encountered a Sachakan in the corridor. I took him for another slave that had been missed and moved to push past him but he attacked me with force strike. I realised he was a magician and protected myself but...he was too strong. He weakened me and I fell unconscious. The next thing I remember was waking up in a cart, on its way to...Sachaka."

This couldn't be. Sonea had seen Akkarin meet her in the Entrance Hall. He had fought with her...he had died. She had seen the knife.

"But...I saw..."

"I know what you saw, they told me afterwards. I often wondered how they could have...how they put me...I didn't find out until, accidentally, I was sent to the Emperor and overheard him speaking with one of his spies. They spoke of a greater magic, more powerful than Black Magic. We all know that our power is the energy within us; Black Magic increases our store of energy when we deplete the store of another. But what the Emperor's men were doing was greater, more lethal. They had found a deposit of stone, far to the North close to where the Duna Tribes used to live. The spy spoke of how the men could feel the energy coming from the stones and how they could draw the energy. It gave them greater powers than they could ever achieve from a human being. It increases their strength and gave them the power to do...things.

"Of course the Emperor wanted to see the developments in this new power. The spy showed him the different skills they had already learned...among them was the power to shift the human form.

"I learned then that must have been what happened to me. They took on my form and tricked you and the whole Guild."

There were so many questions Sonea wanted to ask. They all came clamouring to the front of her mind like a great wave of noise and confusion, "So you are you saying that...another man died that day?"

"I am."

A sharp laugh burst from Sonea's throat before she could help it. For years she had mourned Akkarin but it turned out she had grieved for the wrong man.

Sonea straightened. If there had been a light in the cell Akkarin would have seen the old determination and strength that had drew him to Sonea twenty years ago return. The pressure and the grief from the last years had been wiped from Sonea's face, not a trace was left behind. Akkarin was not dead. Lorena was in danger. There was a reason to live again.

Sonea smiled slightly, "So o' fearless leader of mine....what do you suppose we do next?"


	16. The Plan

The Plan

Death. The end. Destruction. Every minute of everyday, a light is snuffed out in the great glowing ball of life that the World is. Grief, pain and sorrow fill the gaps in eager anticipation of the emotional havoc they can wreak. Unconsciously the pain of others is our gain. We don't feel it, we don't experience it, we don't suffer. For some death is the great life giving breath they need to escape the drowning pressure of oppressors. There are no more ties and there is no more pressure. They can be let loose to see and truly live in life. The question is...can they do it alone?

Harsh white light fell across their features making their face a paler landscape of sharp peaks and endless gorges. Their black hair, tied tightly into a knot at the nape of their neck seemed like an addition to the black robes that mixed with the impenetrable shadows. Their dark eyes like two black holes glared at Lorena, they seemed to shred her skin away and peer into the very core of her soul.

Lorena whimpered and staggered backwards, the tight arm around her neck withdrawing.

"M...m...mother?"

The figure before her smiled but the smile was unlike any smile Lorena had seen on her mother's face. It wasn't the understanding smile she wore while listening to the woes of her many patients. It wasn't the rare unguarded smile when Lorena and Lorkin had set fire to their classroom during their chemistry practical. It wasn't even the tired smile she wore to put on a brave face after thinking of Akkarin. This smile was a dagger to the heart. Sharp, bitter and malicious.

"Whatever you want..._darling." _Sonea replied, her tone mocking.

She bent down and looked Lorena straight in the eye. Black eye met black eye. Danger met pain. Hate met love.

"I...I..." but the words wouldn't come. Impossibly before her stood her mother, alive and seemingly well yet there was something...wrong.

Sonea's smile widened, white teeth showed behind the red lips, "What? You thought I was dead."

She laughed, the high pitched shrieks sending tremors of horror down Lorena's spine. This was not her mother, it couldn't be.

Drawing closer the woman's lips touched Lorena's ear and whispered, "But I am dead my darling Lorena which, after I get a little something off you, will be you to."

Terrified Lorena struggled to get to her feet, her breathing pitching up to a panicked shriek but the arms that had held her before wound around her again, pinning her arms to her side making her incapable of going anywhere.

The figure of Sonea before her reached her small, pale hands out and grabbed Lorena's head between them in a vice like grip. Fingers digging into her temples Lorena cried out in pain but the woman's hold did not loosen.

_Who are you travelling with?_

The unfamiliar voice reverberated around her head. Immediately Lorena realised what the woman meant by a little something off her...she wanted information...she was reading he mind!

Unbidden an image of Nikora when she had first met him came into her mind. Quickly the woman captured it and analysed it. Lorena could see how the light played on his black hair. The black hair that made his emerald eyes stand out like diamonds among stones. Nikora seemed to be smiling mockingly at her, although after travelling with him for over a week she now knew it was just a front, then he hadn't known what reaction to expect from her.

Ever since she had met him he had been kind to her, reassuring after the double blow of her mother's and brother's death and understanding. Of course he was aloof and if his argument the previous day was any indication, irritable yet passionate about what he believed in.

With a pang Lorena realised, that other than her family, who were now dead, and Makin, who might as well be dead, Nikora was the only person in the whole world that actually seemed to understand her.

_And who is this? _The woman asked.

Lorena couldn't betray him. He had done so much to help her it would only be the destruction of the fragile friendship they already had if she gave him up.

_Who is he? the woman repeated. _Lorena could sense impatience emanating from the presence in her head.

Lorena couldn't keep his head hidden for much longer. She couldn't lie and her mind would unconsciously betray her eventually...

The presence disappeared. Lorena was once again alone in her mind.

In the distance the there were people shouting and the darkness around her seemed to vibrate with noise and hate. The arms around her loosened and Lorena felt the cold, sharp bite of a blade at her throat. She opened her eyes.

The darkness in the cave was lurking at the edges scared away by two bright globe lights blaring above the two figures throwing strikes at each other in front of her. The first had her back to Lorena but by the black robes and smallness of her stature Lorena identified her as the person impersonating her mother. Opposite the imposter, his face a hard mask of determination with, if she was correct, a little fear was Nikora throwing force strike after force strike at the woman. Lorena gasped as realisation thudded home...Nikora was a magician!

The blade at Lorena's throat bit deeper into her skin and she felt the first trickle of warm blood running down her skin.

From the woman's drooping shoulders and hesitant strikes Lorena guessed the Nikora had successfully managed to wear his opponent down. With a surge of power he surrounded her in a circular shield, lifted her off the ground and threw her against the rock wall of the cave.

Lorena winced. She knew the figure slumped in the ground couldn't be her mother but she still felt that instinctive cringe she felt when she had ever seen her mother weak.

Without another glance at the fallen woman Nikora strode forward towards Lorena. In response Lorena was forced up by her captor onto her feet.

"If you come any closer I will kill her." The man behind her threatened.

Nikora glared at the man but didn't say anything. Slowly he grasped the sleeve to his shirt and pushed it up to his shoulder.

In the white light Lorena could see the huge puckered scar that ran from the top of his arm to the wrist. It was an old scar for the skin had knitted together, albeit horribly, to form a long ridge along what must have been a large and excruciatingly painful wound. Lorena knew that had it been healed by an experienced healer the damage wouldn't have been so severe and gruesome but this was Sachaka...she knew there were no healers.

As slowly as he had revealed the scar Nikora pulled the sleeve down to cover it again.

"Will you let her go now?"

The man behind her gasped and quickly let go of Lorena. She stumbled forward and tripped over the body of the dead woman. As she thudded to the ground an enormous shriek bounced of the compact walls of the cave and a tremendous weight forced the breath out of chest. Above, her mother's face glared down at Lorena and with one last contemptuous glance the woman spat, "We will meet again Lorena and next time I will get what I want."

The face above her disappeared. With a small moan Lorena drew herself up onto her elbows and surveyed the cave. Only one globe light remained and it shone over Nikora as he stood up and rubbed his bloody hands on his trousers. On the ground the man who had captured her in the first place lay dead. His glassy eyes seemed to stare at her. Focussing on his target even in death.

As she wearily stared back she lost her self in the man's green eyes...or were they hazel...or yellow? It was hard to tell when he wouldn't lie still.

"Stop?" she moaned, but he wouldn't stop moving. The cave walls started to bulge and contract again and again.

"Stop!" she screamed.

She tried to get to her feet but she was too weak. Her elbows gave way and she was on her back staring at the crumbling ceiling. The golden rock give way to black shadows, leaping and spiralling like demons on the hunt. They tossed huge chunks of emerald at each other, back and forth until a huge wave of dark blue sweeped them away in a hail of sparkling white stones that burned and froze her. Then all was black.

The sound of foreign bird calls filtered through her sleep, dragging her up from the depths of her nightmares into the soft afternoon light bouncing off the white walls in the warm bedroom she occupied.

Lorena yawned and stretched relishing the feel of the soft sheets on her travel weary body. It was so good to be in a bed again after so long sleeping on hard rock with only a pack to rest her head on.

As she pulled herself up into a sitting position a wave of dizziness overcame her and she had to sit still until it passed. When her vision focussed her eyes alighted on a room of delights. The sheets of her bed were made up of a variety of silken cloths of different colours and patterns. Having lived in one of the most conservative countries in the allied lands Lorena had never seen anything more exotic. Tiny stones had been sewn into delicate designs on the sheets making them glitter and shine in the light. Tearing her eyes from the sheets Lorena took in the painted blue shutters on the windows, bordered by another example of the silken cloths. The sand coloured stone floor was covered by multicoloured woven rugs. The furniture, a light yellow was spread around the room sparsely. There was a wardrobe, bed and writing desk with a chair in the corner to make up the ensemble. A familiar figure sat watching her.

Nikora smiled and stood, walking slowly to her side. His loose fitting white shirt rustled as he lifted his hand and set it gently on her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured, checking under her chin for her pulse.

Her heart jumped a little as his hands felt gently under her throat for swelling but she managed to get her reaction under control and answer, "I feel fine. Just a little dizzy."

Nikora's smile broadened, "I wouldn't be surprised you haven't had anything to eat for three days."

Lorena stared at him; she could feel her mouth falling open, "Three days, what happened that I have been gone for _three _days?"

The magicians! She was supposed to save them but...she was wasting time lying here. She had to move! She had to save the magicians!

Throwing the sheets off her Lorena leaped to her feet...and fell back again as her sight blurred and the room circled around her.

"No Lorena! You are too weak to do anything at the moment. Sit down and let me get you something to eat first!"

Lorena heard Nikora move to the door and speak. He moved back to her side and helped her to sit up.

"What...what happened?" she asked weakly.

Nikora frowned worriedly at her but seeing her anxious expression decided it wasn't worth telling her to relax. She would just try to leave again.

"You were poisoned. The blade Mana had, that was the man that took you to the cave, was lined with ver poison. Made up from the concentrated juice of the ver berry mixed with a lot of horrible leaves and such but that's not important. You were cut,' he indicated the small red line where the blade had broke through her skin on her throat, 'the poison quickly spread through your blood and you...you...nearly died."

Nikora sighed and shook his head. A light knock on the door drew Lorena's attention to a small, slight woman carrying a tray. She nodded at Lorena by way of greeting and unleashed a full mouthed grin on Nikora. Lorena felt a tightening in her chest but, with a little difficulty, ignored it.

"Thank you Sora."

Throwing her chest up slightly Sora swaggered to the door and left.

Nikora picked a steaming bowl of broth and set it on her knee with an order, "Eat!"

Obediently Lorena tucked into the salty soup. It was delicious and immediately suppressed the hunger pains. Tearing a piece of bread off the loaf on the tray she cleaned to plate with it and popped it into her mouth with a satisfied smile.

Nikora took the bowl and set it down on the tray, "Better?"

Lorena nodded.

Standing up he looked down at her amusedly, "Good, there are clothes for you in the wardrobe and you can wash over there," he indicated the wash bowl filled with water on the desk, "I will meet you outside when you are finished."

Lorena followed him as he moved to the door and with a last nod to her left. Closing the door behind him Lorena lent against it and rested her head against the light, cool wood.

Her dizziness had disappeared yet she felt restless and uncomfortable. She must be too hot it had gotten stuffy in the room. Moving to the bowl she dipped her hands into the clear cold water and patted her face. The water cooled her hot skin and soothed her soul. It cleared away the sweat and poison from her face, the grief and pain etched into her skin. Stripping off the damp sleeping robe she wore Lorena quickly washed then moved to the wardrobe. The doors opened with a slight squeak and Lorena took out the small white bundle on the shelf.

Lorena pulled the pair of white trousers and shirt. The material was light and cool on her skin. With a satisfied smile she strode to the door and walked into the airy corridor beyond.

Nikora sat on the stone floor, leaning against the wall. When she came out of the room his eyes widened in surprise and he stumbled to his feet.

"We...We...better go." He stuttered.

Lorena frowned at him, "Go where?"

"To see Ashaki Darka, the leader of my people."

Lorena's eyes widened in surprise, "The leader of your people? Where are we?"

"If I told you that I would have to kill you." He said jokingly but his face quickly turned serious, "We are in a hidden oasis not many know of. If they did we would have been slaughtered centuries ago by certain members of Sachakan society."

"Certain members?"

Nikora nodded, "You would call them certain factions. There are many other political rivals than you just see in the Sachakan court for not everyone in Sachaka has a voice in the court. That is why; through the centuries people have rebelled and formed their own voice. A forceful voice that forces the Emperor to listen. We were and still are such a group."

They had travelled out into a small garden. In the heat the heavy smell of the flowers perfume dominated the air while the birds Lorena heard when she first woke danced and flew in all their blue and orange splendour. A stone fountain trickled in the centre of all the green exotic trees its water throwing golden patterns on the surrounding trunks.

Lorena smiled as a curious creature swung from one of the tree branches and landed chittering at her feet. She bent down to take a closer look at the little animal. Its round face stared curiously back while its tiny furry hands grabbed towards her hair that streamed down around her. It had a long tail and a small brown furry body. Laughing Lorena asked what exactly it was.

"It is a Minka, a person of the trees. Some philosophers believe that we humans were once minka but that we have grown and changed while they some have remained as we once were."

Surprised Lorena glanced at Nikora, "Is that true?"

Nikora shrugged, "I don't know but there is one thing I know for sure," and he bent down and patted the minka's hands away from Lorena's hair, "they can be a pest."

Nikora motioned her on to an archway at the end of the garden and they began walking down another white walled corridor.

"So...what did the founder of this particular...society cry out for." Lorena asked timidly.

Nikora looked over at her, his face sombre, "We cry out for the abolishment of slavery."

Lorena's head snapped round to look at him.

"As you already know...we haven't succeeded yet. Here we are." He indicated a large pair of wooden double doors at the end of the hall.

Striding forward he knocked once then pushed open the doors and carried on through into the room beyond.

Lorena hesitated at the door worried of the reaction to her presence in what could only be a secret society among the Sachakan people. But she pushed her foreboding aside and reminded herself of what her father would have done. When he had met with the thieves he probably had never had any reluctant feelings so why should she?

A small current of excitement stirred in her abdomen. Her father was alive!

_But how? I have to find out...I will have to ask Nikora how he knew and if he knows how...father could be alive._

Taking a deep breath Lorena strode into the room after Nikora. It wasn't as big as she expected it to be but what it lacked in size was made up in colourful fabrics and golden decoration. Nikora sat in front of a large man with a great grey beard. He glanced over at her and motioned that she should take a seat on the cushion beside him. Lorena walked over slowly and sat down beside Nikora with a little sigh.

The large man held himself, even when sitting, with an air of importance. As she sat she could see his eyes raking over her, taking in her pale pale skin and slight yet muscular frame. As his eyes met hers Lorena thought she could see all the years this man had fought for his cause. In the lines at his mouth and around his eyes she could see the arguments, the battle, the loss. This could only be Ashaki Darka

With one last considering glance Ashaki Darka said, "So this is the daughter of the High Lord Akkarin."

Swallowing Lorena nodded.

Darka chuckled, "And has she lost her voice?"

Beside her Nikora coughed. Lorena glanced over at him but he was covering him mouth. Was he smiling?

Angered Lorena turned back to Darka, "No she has not lost her voice and yes, I am Lorena."

Darka's eyes lighted up with amusement and the lines around his mouth deepened.

"It seems you have inherited your father's temper young one."

Lorena frowned, "How do you know my father?"

"I met him once, long ago when I was still young and still a slave of Kariko's." At those words his voice turned bitter but he quickly shook his head and met Lorena's eyes, "But my story is not the one you want to hear, am I right?"

Lorena nodded and when Darka continued to look at her expectantly she said, "I would like to know how my...father can still be alive. I mean my mother and the rest of the Guild saw him...die?"

Darka pulled at his beard thoughtfully, "I believe...your father was tricked or taken sometime before he and your mother fought Kariko and the last of his allies. You see...from the reports of my spies place in the Emperor's palace we have discovered that the Emperor's men have found a new type of magic, well not a new kind but a more powerful version of the one we carry in or selves. We don't know from where or how they found this more powerful energy source but it has given those who use it unnatural skills. For instance the power to change shape."

"But...that is impossible."

Nikora grunted in agreement, "That is what we thought but this new magic is warped magic. It make the impossible possible. That is why you saw you're...mother, the person who was going to read your mind impersonated your mother."

Lorena winced although she knew what Nikora said to be true. It was the only realistic explanation and even that was hard t believe.

"So you believe that my father was taken by...one of the Emperor's using this...warped magic."

Darka nodded.

"Where do you think he is being kept?" she asked, a plan forming in her head.

"I believe he is being kept in the palace, most likely the..."

"...Emperor's dungeons." Nikora finished. He turned to Lorena and frowned, "You cannot possibly think that you can save your father ASWELL as the magicians. Please Lorena don't...you already have, haven't you?"

Lorena smiled at him, "In a way yes...how do you know me so well?"

Nikora slapped his hand to his brow and groaned, "Lorena...your father will be the most heavily guarded prisoner in the whole of the dungeons. It is going to be a challenge getting into the dungeons let alone saving the magicians AND getting Akkarin out!"

Darka barked out a deep laugh and leaned forward toward them conspiratorially, "I find that there is only one most obvious way to get into the palace and all it requires is a little bit of good acting."


	17. The Truth

The Truth

"Are you sure they going to do it now that there are so many magicians in the dungeons?" Sonea asked, twisting her raw wrists in the manacles and wincing once the rusty metal dug into the bare flesh.

"They have to unless they want us to die which I doubt is their intention." Akkarin replied.

Sonea growled in frustration and gave up trying to get comfortable, it was impossible.

"I hope they do it soon I'm beginning to forget what daylight is supposed to look like."

Akkarin chuckled, "That's what I think every time, it's unbelievable how much we take light for granted but when you have been in the dungeons for over twenty years it really is the only thing that keeps you alive amongst other suitable causes to live."

Sonea felt her face heating and smiled. It seemed that over the years Akkarin's regard for her had not decreased just like hers had never ended at his death. More so it had increased and bloomed into a love so powerful it would hurt to be separated from Akkarin again.

To her utter joy Akkarin had taken to Lorkin very well. Often she woke in the cell to find that they had already been up talking for hours.

The only thing that dampened her mood and made her chew her lip nervously, a habit she had from childhood, was the fact that she knew Lorena would stop at nothing to free the magicians. What panicked Sonea most was that her only daughter would be walking to her death? From Akkarin's explanation she knew that Lorena might as well be a non magician against this more powerful form of magic.

Sonea's attention was drawn to a large clang that echoed around the dark cell. A strip of light filtered in through the widening crack of the opening door.

"In a moment three magicians will come and unlock you're bonds." Growled a large figure silhouetted in the door, "Do not move. You will be taken to an area where you can exercise for the duration of one hour. Any funny business like trying to escape will be punishable with...death."

The figure moved away and three more streamed in. They moved to different side of the cell. The one before Sonea grasped her arm, making her wince in pain. While he worked his heavy breath brought the stench of stale alcohol into Sonea nose. When he moved away after finishing with her other she sighed in relief and waited for the inevitable next order.

The man reappeared and grunted, "Follow me."

Sonea followed him to the door and cast about to see if Akkarin or Lorkin were following. But for her and the man the corridor was empty, it seemed that Akkarin and Lorkin had not been asked to follow yet. The man gestured for her to walk in front of him and they moved down the corridor she remembered walking down to get into the cell. They quickly ascended into the back parts of the palace and Sonea followed the man's instructions until they reached an open courtyard with only a bench and a rotting wooden table to decorate it. Already there were her fellow magician's that she had set out to save in the first place.

Sitting precariously on the table with his feet resting on the bench was Makin. The young magician, with his dirt smeared face and torn robes looked dejectedly at the ground but once he saw Sonea coming through the doorway his face brightened up. He jumped off the table and rushed over to throw his arms around her.

"Are you okay? What did they do to you? Where is Akkarin? Did they..."

"Sonea laughed, "Stop Makin, stop! I'm fine! Akkarin is fine! There is just...."

Sonea stopped as she noticed the magician's face. He was staring behind her and his expression had changed from one of worry to one of seemingly utter shock. Suddenly he burst into roars of laughter, in doing so bending over and clutching his stomach.

Sonea turned to see what had caught his attention. Lorkin stood there, Akkarin behind him looking bemused, also bent over with laughter.

"I can't believe you got caught to." Makin gasped.

Sonea turned back to find him straightening with some difficulty and rubbing the tears out of his eyes.

Abandoning all of his manners Lorkin strode forward and grasped his friend by the upper arm, Makin repeated the gesture.

"It is good to see you alive at least." Lorkin said, a grin lighting up his face.

"You too my friend, you too." Makin replied.

Akkarin reached Sonea's side and slipped an arm around her waist. She leant her head back against his chest and watched as her son and his closest friend became reacquainted.

"He looks like you." She commented.

Akkarin's chest vibrated slightly as he laughed, "You think so?"

"I do."

He twisted her around so she was facing him. He reached out and once again grasped her head gently between his two hands. "Funny, I see more of you in him," his smile widened, "and he couldn't seem to stop telling me about, even twenty years later, how the King could do more to help the people of the slums. He has some interesting ideas, thankfully none involving forcing magicians to work with a reduced income."

Sonea laughed and punched him lightly on the chest, "It was a good idea at the time."

He chuckled and leant forward to press his lips gently to hers, "Of course my disruptive influence of a novice. I hope my children haven't inherited the tendency."

"No, they have inherited your tendency to create utter chaos and come out of it fairly well."

Hearing a throat being cleared behind them Sonea turned to see who it was. Balkan stood, looking a little embarrassed, at the ground.

"Yes, High Lord Balkan?"

Sonea smiled at the hint of irony in Akkarin's voice. This time the tables had turned and he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"What...what are we going to do...now that Lorkin seems to have been caught?"

Akkarin glanced around to make sure there were no guards. Having satisfied himself that the courtyard was empty he gestured that they should all sit and began explaining...the plan.

They were going to set out tonight at midnight to enable them to be in outside the city of Arvice at midday tomorrow. The plan in truth was simple though Lorena was nervous, this being the first time she had ever done battle or spying techniques outside the Guild.

As the deep orange rays of the sun filtered through her windows she rolled over impatiently and resigned herself to the long wait until midnight.

As she was getting comfortable on the bed a knock sounded at her door. Eager for the distraction Lorena hurried to the door and opened in the smiling face of Nikora.

It was the first time she had seen him since Ashaki Darka had helped them form the plan they were going to follow. Afterwards Nikora had disappeared on some unknown errand, probably to visit the curvaceous Sora, and Lorena had set out on her own to look around the "society".

In truth it was a little town built in part of a wide gorge that cut deep into the cliff. Due to the river running through the middle of it the town had flourished on the plants deposited by the river as seed on the banks. The buildings were all made of yellow stone, not unlike the walls of the gorge, and were sturdy and well made. Lorena found that she was in Ashaki Darka's home, the largest building set in the centre of town.

Looking at Nikora now Lorena wondered how much it had cost him to bring her, an outsider, into the secret home of his people. She had noticed that most of the men and women living in Darka's home glanced at her in anger and often contempt. They no doubt saw a Kyralian, whom they hated, invading their home, yet again, and giving them no choice but to turn against their own people, explaining the hateful glances towards Nikora.

It seemed though that either Nikora hadn't noticed the glares directed his way or was ignoring them or...

_There is nothing unusual about the way that they look at him!_

She pushed the notion away. Apart from his temper, which she actually found amusing on some occasions, Nikora, from what she could see, was a very likeable person.

Before her now he gestured for her to follow him and said, "Come."

Closing the door behind him she followed him down a series of winding corridors punctuated by courtyards bursting with greenery into the town. The travelled past the buildings, Nikora often indicating a piece of ancient architecture or the scene of a well known fight. Eventually they reached the end of town and, in doing so, the gorge wall.

"We have to follow this for a little while." He said and followed the smooth path craved beside the wall.

Lorena hurried after him, "Where are we going?"

Nikora turned and smiled slyly, "Now that would be telling."

Lorena threw him mock frustrated glance and he laughed. Soon, to Lorena's surprise they reached a large stair way cut out of the sandy yellow rock of the gorge. It stretched from the floor right up, seemingly, to the orange blue sky above.

"And now we climb."

Lorena was thankful that, being a warrior, she had been physically active for most of her recent life. She knew otherwise it would have taken much longer for her to climb than it did. On the other hand once they had reached the top both magicians were sweating and breathing hard.

Lora looked over at Nikora and found him regarding her with a curious expression.

"What?" she asked.

He smiled and shook his head. Pointing out to the horizon he said, "Look."

She turned to stare out at the distance and gasped. Her first impression of Sachaka had been one of a land harsh and destroyed by war and power. To her it had been all sharp cliffs and dead land. But now, looking at the dusky blue sky meeting the rosy ground and the sun setting in its orange glory behind a distant hill made Lorena change her feelings for this ancient land. It wasn't dead and finished as she had suspected. It was a pumping life force waiting for someone to discover her secrets and delights.

"You said you had never seen the sky so blue and I wondered, if you had not seen a sight so common then it would have been unlikely that you had seen one such as this."

Lorena stood and stared at the ever changing landscape. The sun had set and now its orange glow was fading to deep blue black that seemed to spread over the landscape like a blanket muting the tones of the rosy earth to a pale grey and leaving behind a sea of gems like a glittering bride's veil.

Eventually she turned to Nikora and smiled, "I have never seen anything like that in my life. The sky is different in Imardin, as is the setting sun. Do you mind if we stay here awhile?"

"No I don't mind."

Nikora sat on the ground and rested his wait on his hands, his legs outstretched.

Lorena sat beside him and watched the stars that had been so absent in the city.

"I guess this is why a lot of people prefer to live in the countryside and small towns at home. You must be able to see the beauty of the land and sky better in the clear air where no buildings can block your site and no lamps the natural light of the stars."

Beside her Nikora grunted, "I could never stay in the city for long, I mean Arvice. It is all rocks and buildings. Even at home here," he gestured behind him to the now hidden down below them, "it is hard. I often roam alone just to be able to find and see the peace of nature."

Lorena frowned, "Does your family not get worried that you spend more time away than at home."

Nikora smiled, but in the faint glow of the globe light he had created, Lorena could see it was bitter and bleak.

"My family is dead."

Lorena gasped and reached out to him but he pulled away and stared at the darkened landscape.

"I...I...I am so sorry Nikora."

He laughed once, bitterly, and turned his head to look at her, "Don't be...I have been alone for so long now that I can't even remember what it was like to have a family or someone that cared about you anymore."

Lorena frowned at the ground, "But what about Ashaki Darka and the others, they care about you."

Nikora shook his head, "The people down there would rather see _me _dead than return again to threatened their peace and Ashaki Darka...he took me in as a favour to my mother."

"Did he know your mother?"

"No...He took me in as a favour to my...slave mother."

Realisement set in. Ashaki Darka was the leader of a society that fought for the abolishment of the slave culture in Sachaka. Darka would have been bound by his call to help Nikora who was the son of a slave.

"What...what about your father?"

Nikora looked up and glared at her, "My father was dead."

Lorena closed her eyes and growled in despair; it seemed that whatever she said was hitting a nerve.

"Lorena don't," Nikora's voice was soft, "I...I am sorry. You reminded me of my father and...and...,"he sighed, "I hated him."

Lorena's eyes flew open, "You hated your father?"

Nikora stared at her sadly then looked away, "There...there is something I have to tell you Lorena. My father...he...he...was on Ichani."

The breath rushed out of Lorena. She tried to catch Nikora's eyes but he would look toward her.

"He died when I was five but...that...that was enough."

"Enough for what?" she whispered.

"For me to hate him unconditionally."

In the last weeks that they had travelled together Lorena had never seen any side to Nikora that was harsh or cruel like the Ichani her mother had described. Nikora had only killed the one man that had captured her and would have killed her. He had taken her to home and saved her from poison. He was nothing like the Ichani she had heard of.

"What did he do?"

She winced as the question left her lips. Of course he didn't want to talk about it. Her father had only mentioned the treatment he had received at the hands of Dakova to her mother. Sonea had said that the pain was all too clear in his eyes.

Lorena opened her mouth to apologise for asking but Nikora answered, "He killed my brother."

He was stroking the arm with the scar on it, staring absently into the distance.

"Is that how that happened," she nodded at his arm, "Your father did that."

Nikora nodded, "He was...drunk, very drunk. He wanted more wine and, as my brother was the closest at hand, he sent him to get it. I was outside with my mother at the time but followed my brothers back to the tent." Nikora smiled faintly. "We were inseparable, my brother and I. He was the stronger of us both having been born first and the largest but...we did everything together."

Lorena frowned, this sounded familiar, "Are you telling me that...you were a twin."

Nikora nodded.

So that was how he knew what she felt when she lost Lorkin. He knew how it felt to lose your other half, the one sole thing that holds you together in the world. Nikora, like her, had lost everything.

_I still have my father._

That was if she was able to save him, which seemed unlikely if the plan failed.

"My brother brought my father a bottle," Nikora continued, his voice low and pain filled, "But...but it was the wrong one. He leapt on my brother and did the only thing he was ever any good at...he cut him open and drained him. My brother lay dead at his feet and he didn't even care. He said, "That will teach them to disobey me." "

Nikora shook his head again as if in denial of what he had seen that day, "My brother had died over a bottle of wine. It was as if his life was nothing more than a necessary piece of dirt, great when it's useful but washed away when it is finished with. Yet my mother did not leave, did not escape. It was sonly when he gave me this," he indicated the scar hidden beneath the sleeve of his shirt, "that she realised her second son was in danger and ran away. She knew of Ashaki Darka, she had heard other slaves talk of him so she sought him out. She gave me to him and left. I guess she knew my father would be looking for her and when he found her would show her no mercy."

Nikora looked up at the stars and closed his eyes, "I grew up in Ranika. Ashaki Dark took care of me and released my powers. He taught he the higher magic when it was time and let me roam. Of course the people of Ranika avoided me, I was a slave keeper's son, but I didn't mind. I preferred to be alone. It was easier to resolve to the cause I had been taught and to make sure I never became my father"

Lorena moved toward Nikora and placed her hand over his. He looked down and opened his eyes.

"Nikora, you are nothing like your father."

He smiled slightly, "I hope not. You are lucky in that your father was a good man."

Lorena's smile was thin, "That doesn't mean being the bastard child is any easier. Maybe our punishment was not as harsh as yours but the members of the Guild avoided us to. They saw us a societies scum. A shamed father and a slum girl for a mother, we were nothing. But in truth...that didn't matter. I guess we were the only ones that knew the truth. I didn't care what others thought. I saw it my mother's face every day, I see it in the free country we live in, I see it in the awe the younger warriors hold my father, that deep down what they did mattered, that they loved one another and gave everything for the safety of the people of Imardin. I know you hated your father but, I think what counts is the fact that he made you what you are today. He showed you, in his way, that slavery was wrong, cruelty was wrong and murder was wrong. That is why you believe in Ashaki Darka's cause, why you could have killed me but didn't, and why you saved me. Your father was not a good man, Nikora, but he did give you something."

Nikora stared down at her pale hand over his darker one then looked up into her eyes. There was something there; she could see it, something he wanted to tell her. But as sudden as it appeared it was gone.

He smiled slightly and said, "I guess we always learn from our parents, no matter who they are."


	18. A Plan In Action

A Plan In Action

Arvice lay in a sweep little glowing islands before Lorena. She was stunned by the sheer size of the city, with it's walled in mansions and great courtyards in between. But what truly took her breath away was the palace itself. It rose from the ground in a cloud of domes and towers, on and on until it seemed to reach the dusky sky itself. To Lorena who stood barely three miles from the first homes of the city it looked like a birthday cake she had once seen when attending one of Makin's birthday parties. The cake had been so huge and graceful, Lorena had winced to see it cut and destroyed. That day a masterpiece had gone to ruin.

Little arches spaced evenly, along what could only be the corridors of the palace, decorated the silhouetted building and let off a faint golden light.

"A pretty sight I would say."

Lorena tore her eyes from the magnificent sight before her and stared incredulously at Nikora.

"Just pretty? How could you say such a thing? This...this is beautiful." She said, gesturing to the view.

Lorena didn't need to see to know that Nikora was smiling.

"Lorena you have a lot to learn about beauty. This is manmade and will no doubt be destroyed on the whim of some not long to come emperor. He will tear it down and build another pretty building which will be stared at and admired. It too will be torn down and soo on. Manmade structures are artificial. They never last and are worth nothing in the end. On the other hand the beauty of nature is everlasting. No man could create the perfect droplet of rain that, in the light, will create a perfect rainbow before the earth reclaims it. Nor could man mould out of the waste lands the perfect oasis where the water is cool and the trees are full of life. Even when her beauty is selfishly destroyed the earth will always reclaim what was once hers.

"This," he pointed at the distant palace, "is nothing. What I showed you three days ago is beauty. You should know that. You see it. Even in the blue sky you see the wild magnificence of nature."

Lorena shook her head slowly in disbelief as Nikora's arms fell to his sides.

"I can see now why you wander Nikora." she said. "You see soo much in the world I think you have little need or want of anything else."

Nikora sighed heavily and stared at the 'man made' sight. "I do want something else Lorena but...I...I have always found it hard. Nature is beautiful but she is quiet. The silence lets me think and...that is not always the best thing but you see...I can trust her. I can trust the fact that she will always rain in the autumn season. That the sun will bake the earth red in summer and freeze it solid in winter. People on the other hand, especially women, I...can't bring myself to trust. Women play games to get you into their beds, men prod you for your secrets, humans lie and betray and soo I have taught myself not to trust. Not to trust and not to make myself vulnerable to them."

Lorena understood what he meant, people did let you down She remembered, with a rush of anger Osen, his face twisted as he separated her and Lorkin. All her life Lorena had believe Osen an honest well meaning man who actually gave a damn about the progress of "Akkarin's bastard twins" but that day, Lorena's last day in Imardin, in Osen's office he had let her down, badly.

But she didn't believe that Nikora should give up totally on interacting with others. There would always be people in the world who were decent enough and who would treat Nikora with the respect he deserved.

A rush of cold passed through her body as she thought.

_Maybe I have given Nikora a reason to distrust. But he told me his story...about his father...his brother...he must trust me if he revealed that much about himself._

"Nikora...do...do you trust me?"

In the darkness Nikora chuckled and suddenly he was there in front of her...very close in front of her. Her heart began to race as, gently with his hand, he lifted her chin. Her eyes roamed his face but she could see nothing in the night other than the glint of his eyes, like starlight, and the slight contours of his nose and mouth.

"It seems that you, of all people, are an exception to my...what would you call it? Fear? Stubbornness? Idiocy?"

He bent down and brushed his lips against hers once.

His warm breath washed over her face and her body was quickly turning from cold to hot and back again.

"Yes Lorena, I do trust you."

This time his lips pressed hard to hers. As she slipped her arms around his neck his arms wound around her waist and drew her closer still to him.

They seemed to stand before the glowing city for an eternity until the unwelcome sound of hoof beats caused them to jump apart. As the first rider came into view Nikora grasped Lorena's hand and squeezed once to tell her that the plan was in motion.

The horse stopped before them in a series of grunts and snorts. His rider hopped from his back and stood regarding Lorena and Nikora, a grin spreading maliciously over his face. Lorena shifted uneasily as three more men pulled up beside the first.

"So what do we have here?" Said the first man.

"Meat." Replied another swinging down from his horse.

"Certainly looks like it Diko."

Beside her Lorena could feel Nikora begin to shake.

_And here comes the acting._

"What...what do you mean meat?" Nikora stuttered.

Diko laughed savagely. "Did you think you could get past us into the great city of our Emperor?" he began to recite as if reading it from a book, "Any entrants are only permitted into the city with the permission of the Guard. That would be us. But...hmmm...I don't know they look like they could be trouble. Maybe their purpose would be better served _inside _the palace?"

"No!" Lorena cried, "Please don't! I have to find my mother...she is in the city. If I don't get to her she will die. I have to go, please!"

The men laughed at Lorena's pleas.

"I think your mother will have to find someone else to help her! Tie them up we are moving out!" said the first man.

Diko strode forward and grasped Lorena's arms. She struggled and shouted as he wrapped the rope tightly around her wrists and pushed her towards his waiting horse. Behind her she could hear Nikora struggling with a third man. Diko hoisted her up into the saddle and mounted up behind. The third man did the same with Nikora.

It seemed that the first phase of the plan was complete.

Miles away, across the Steelbelt Ranges, far to the south lay the city of Imardin. Unlike its colourful opponent Imardin was a city of conservative yellows and blacks. The distance palace was barely lit in the dark, being a building that hid its manmade beauty. In the east quarter of the city lay the Magicians' Guild. It grandeur was boasted in the very ceiling of its university.

The long deceased Lord Coren could see the beauty in stone and proved it could be moulded and shaped to make the awesome structures that stand there.

In the quiet university only on light is still burning.

Osen paced around his office once again. The dark shadows under his eyes and his unshaved face hinted at a few sleepless nights. He worriedly looked up to the door of his office as if expecting someone to come through it then began pacing again.

_It's been over two weeks _he thought _what could have happened to them._

Osen had heard nothing from Lorena and Lorkin since they had both left the Guild, Lorkin without even the permission of his superiors.

Osen and the rest of the higher magician's had begun to worry about the twins' silence.

_To think that something could have happened to them and...and the last words I said to Lorena were ones of anger._

Osen regretted what he had said to Lorena. He should have known better than to expect Lorena and Lorkin to separate. They were all they had in the world what with their father and now mother dead.

_I shouldn't have said it. I should have known to expect the resistance...I hope nothing has happened to them, please let nothing happen to them!_

As he completed yet another circuit of his office guilt over took him.

_I have to see them both, I...I have to apologise. I have to reassure them they are always welcome in the Guild or they will never come back. I have to meet them in case they slip back over the border. _

He strode to his desk and pulled out a sheaf of parchment. If he was going to go to the south pass it was going to involve a lot of planning and reassuring. But he would do it. He had to do it.

"That was a nice bit of acting."

Lorena turned to the sound of Nikora's voice but couldn't see him in the dark of...the cell.

She laughed. "Why thank you. I believe a lifetime of telling lies to cover up my 'bad deeds' has come to some good use."

"I don't think you were lying Lorena."

She stopped laughing. "My mother is dead."

"Mother. Father. Vase. Vase. What is the difference? This is as much about saving your father as it is saving the magicians."

He was right. Throughout this whole venture into Sachaka she had lost everything that meant anything to her in the world. She had come to the conclusion that it was time Sachaka gave her something back.

"You're right."

Nikora laughed.

"Could I ask you something?"

Nikora paused before saying, "It depends if I want to answer it."

Lorena smiled slightly, "Why are you helping me?"

"I answered that the first time we met; to help my people. If the Emperor gains power in Kyralia it will not be long before he wants to control the whole of his country. That would mean the destruction of factions such as mine."

Lorena frowned. "But you don't even like the people of Ranika. I don't understand why you would take such risks for them."

"Lorena, you are doing the exact same thing by saving these magicians."

"But I like the guild magicians."

"All of them?"

It was true that she didn't like all guild magicians. Some had given her and Lorkin a hard time when they were novices.

"There is a difference between liking someone and being loyal to them. I may not like the people of Ranika for the way they have treated me but I do still see it as my mission to help them whenever I can, just as you _have _to save these magicians. We are loyal to our people, it is the way we were brought up and I guess it will be the way we will always be."

Lorena had never seen it that way before.

_Loyalty is a strange thing and gets you into trouble more often than not. But it also shows you your limits. How far would anybody go if they just liked someone? Loyalty is stronger and lasts forever._

Her mother had been a prime example of that. For over twenty years Sonea had defended and upheld Akkarin's name, even though she had believed him dead. 

With a pang Lorena realised that, although Nikora had given her a reason, it wasn't the reason she had been hoping to hear.

"Hmmm...loyalty is a pretty strong bond."

"It is."

They sat in silence, each in their own thoughts. So far the plan had worked. They had gotten into the palace with the help of the overconfident and troublesome city Guard. A few bruises and long corridors later they had been put down in the Emperor's dungeons.

Lorena winced as she remembered the screams and whimpered pleas for help. In the noise she had tried listen for any familiar voices but Nikora had assured her that the magicians wouldn't be in this part of the dungeons. The magicians would be kept in the magically guarded cell even deeper underground.

The next stage of the plan was to scout for the magicians, see where they were and if they were all still alive. Then came the outstanding and amazingly easy escape. Run through the front door.

When Ashaki Darka had voiced the option Lorena had laughed but quickly realised he was serious. Apparently once out of the palace, the magicians could run amongst the walled mansions, which in Darka's eyes was a maze unlike the slums in Imardin, except it was cleaner and there was a less likely chance of getting mugged. The magician's were to then make their way to the edge of the city in a southerly direction where they would all meet at a designated point and, after a many days walk, head over the border.

"Lorena?"

"Nikora."

"What...what do you plan to do...after all of this. I mean...what will you do if we actually succeed in freeing these magicians?"

Lorena smiled wanly, "I guess I'll first have to go back to teaching novices and planning lessons and enduring stares and pretending not to hear whispered comments about me and..." she couldn't continue. The thought of going back to Guild life was almost too much to bear. She would have to do it alone. A weight seemed to press down on her back, a weight of responsibilities and reluctance. She realised suddenly, _I don't want to go back._

"Why are you asking?"

"I...well...I...oh never mind.'

"No tell me." She said, curiosity building.

"I guess it is stupid asking a city girl but, well I thought maybe...would you like to go wandering with me?"

Lorena froze. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. Her silence seemed to unnerve Nikora.

"Never mind it was a stupid question anyway. I just...I...when it is time for you and the magician's to go over the border I...I don't think I'm going to be able to watch you leave. I don't know what it is about you Lorena but the more time I spend with you makes me more and more reluctant to let you go." It seemed that now he had gotten what he thought out he couldn't stop.

"I...I want to know more about you. What you are thinking of when you look soo thoughtfully at something. Why you gasp at the most normal sights and why you frown when you lie."

Lorena's heart swelled as he uttered those last words.

_It seems I agree with him. _

Lorena got up slowly and moved silently to where his voice had come from. Reaching a wall she followed it until she bumped up against his warm side. He turned to face her as she slid down the wall. Saying nothing she felt for his face and brought her lips to meet his.

"I guess you could say the feeling is mutual." She said eventually.

He laughed and pressed his lips against hers.

They were interrupted by the clang of a bolt being drawn back.

After so long in the dark the light seared their eyes, making them squint to see who stood at the door.

"Come." Ordered the silhouette.

Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder Nikora pushed Lorena to her feet and stood up behind her. They followed the guard along the dark narrow corridor beyond that reverberated with the screams of those the dungeons held into a dimly lit room at the end of a series of twisting passages.

"The Emperor is having a feast tonight to celebrate his tenth year on the throne. You," he pointed at Lorena, "are to join the slaves entertaining tonight, while you," he pointed at Nikora, "are to join the serving slaves."

A knock echoed on the door behind them and a small man came in bending low.

"Silanka you called me?"

"Yes. Take this slave to the kitchens. He will be helping you and the others tonight."

The man bent low and gestured for Nikora to follow him. He nodded quickly in Lorena's direction and left. Silanka stared at the door Nikora had left through for a moment longer, frowning then turned to Lorena.

"Now you, follow me."

Wearily Lorena followed Silanka through a door at the end of the room into a huge hall. It was plain and unadorned, with wooden panelled walls and a stone floor. The roof seemed to reach the skies it was so tall but the shadows and dust took away from even that little bit of grandeur. At the end of the hall stood a stage. It spanned the hall in a cacophony of scenery, costumes and actors which at this moment seemed to be arguing with each other.

"No, you have to say that he is dying or the Emperor will not know what has happened."

"I can't say I am dying, I am meant to show it..."

"But you can't show it..."

"Are you trying to say I am not a good actor...?"

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" .

Lorena jumped as Silanka's roar echoed around the room.

The actors on stage leaped away from each other and began looking at anything other than each other and Silanka

"Sorry Silanka." they muttered.

"There are only a few hours left until the feast begins and I want this...whatever it is prepared to perfection by then, am I understood?"

"Yes Silanka."

Silanka huffed then pushed Lorena in front of him. "This is some more help for you. I reckoned she had a pretty enough voice so you can have here, Nara and his men picked her up today."

The slaves on stage looked down at Lorena dubiously as Silanka stormed off to shout some orders somewhere else.

"She doesn't look like she can act at all." Commented a thin woman at the front nasally. "There are no parts left either." She continued.

"That doesn't matter Kinava, I am sure she can participate in one of the scenes."

A man shuffled up to the front of the stage. With his white hair and wrinkled skin he looked to be about eighty years of age although his eyes shone with a bright glittering light mostly seen in the young. He peered down at Lorena and smiled nearly toothless smile.

"Answer me this young lady, can you sing?"

Lorena stared at the old man and quickly shook her head.

His brows rose. "Are you sure? Have you never sung when you are alone or when you were a child even?"

Lorena frowned. It was true that in the times she had went out with Lorkin and Makin she had been known to sing, but that was with a few tankards of bol in her. Bol was a good drink for lowering everyone's inhibitions but it wasn't the same. She had heard of others taking lessons in singing but she had never been interested and her mother had never forced her to do it.

"I haven't ever really sung a song, I mean like in a play or concert before."

The old man smiled, "I think you could do it you know. Your voice although a little low for a woman it is quite decent enough for the job tonight."

"I don't know." Lorena muttered, shifting uneasily. The thought of her singing in front of people was almost too embarrassing to consider.

"Of course you do!"

The old man hobbled to the end of the stage and shuffled down the steps. "The rest of you go on with the rehearsal, I will be up again in a minute."

He gesture for Lorena to come over.

"Now young lady I want you to repeat after me."

"We will do it tonight." Akkarin declared as he entered the courtyard that had become the magicians' unofficial planning space.

Balkan frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Something is going on in the palace. The slaves are all distracted and busy which means that there will be more guards watching them than watching us which also means that our own guards will be too distracted by what is going on upstairs to pay much attention to us."

"And so what do we do, attack the guards giving us our food tonight and run for the door, knocking out every guard that attacks us to the front door. Is that not a little...impossible?" asked Makin.

Akkarin smiled. "What we are doing is the unexpected Makin. They won't be prepared for a horde of magicians, three of whom are black magicians, coming out of the dungeons and charging for the front door. We take them by surprise. And I don't expect to encounter many guards on the way to the doors. The Emperor is very protective so most of his Guard will be situated where ever he is holding his celebration or meeting or whatever."

"When you put it like that...fine, let's do it."

The magicians around the table began nodding and muttering but suddenly their heads snapped up as a scuffling was heard coming down the passage that led to the courtyard.

A large bushy haired Sachakan burst through the archway, dragging a younger man behind him. He thrust the man against the wall, completely oblivious to the magicians present and began roaring at him.

"Did you think you could get away with it?"

"Get away with what?" gasped the man.

"Listen to me _Nikora," _he said the name sarcastically, "I know who your father was. I know what the Emperor's father, the Great Emperor Kanaki may his spirit rest in peace, did to your father. You may think that you can get your revenge but that is not going to happen. Not now that I know who you are."

Nikora struggled against the giant's grip, "I am not planning to do anything on the Emperor, I have nothing to..."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I am not lying!"

The big man smiled sarcastically, "And you expect me to believe that? Guards!"

Two lightly clad men sauntered into the courtyard.

"Take this man to the dungeons."

One of the men nodded and slipped a glittering curved dagger from his belt. Nikora shouted and writhed as the man came closer to him. Suddenly the big man holding Nikora against the wall flew across the courtyard and crashed into the far wall. Nikora made to run back through the arch way but a stun strike sent him sprawling to the ground. The magician hurried after him and ran the dagger across Nikora's cheek. As the blood ran freely the man placed a hand over the cut. Soon Nikora was still. The man gestured lazily at Nikora and his body was lifted off the ground and levitated in front of the two magicians as they left the courtyard.

On the other side of the courtyard the big man was heaving himself off the dusty ground with a moan. He eventually managed to get to his feet. He stared at the archway and shuddered a little. Swaying slightly and clutching his ribs he made his way slowly out of the courtyard. As he left he threw a wary glance at the magicians still sitting around the table the swayed away.

Lorkin whistled "I am telling you, magician or not...I would not like to be that big man's enemy."


End file.
